“I’m a simple guy,” replied Rafael Nadal, the tennis legend, when confronted with questions around the end of his storied career.

It’s minutes after Nadal’s unfortunate first-round loss at Roland-Garros in late May, but the Spaniard was upbeat – and honest.

“I enjoy what I do: I am passionate about sport; I am passionate about competition,” he continued, in speaking with reporters. “I like to practise, I like to play tennis. I’m in a different moment of my personal life too, traveling with my son, wife… I am enjoying these moments that will not come back.”

The sporting gods appeared to step in this year, in what Nadal says is likely his last as a pro: Just around the corner comes the Olympic Games Paris 2024, with the tennis event set to be held at Stade Roland-Garros, the same venue where he’s won 14 French Open titles, etching himself into the history books as the greatest clay court player of all time.

It will be the ultimate of tests for Nadal, however, as Thursday’s (25 July) draw squared him with a potential second-round match with all-time rival Novak Djokovic, should they both win their openers. The two last met on the Olympic stage in a dramatic semi-final at Beijing 2008, which Nadal won… and then proceeded to claim his singles gold.

Regardless of what happens in singles, Nadal will pair up with Carlos Alcaraz in doubles, a pairing that not only has drawn global interest but could threaten for a medal.

Unprepared to call the Olympics his last event, Nadal instead has approached the last few months – which have been riddled with injury and doubt – as he has the rest of the career: Taking one step at a time and not buying into grandiose storylines, whether they be of nightmares… or dreams.

“This is a moment just to keep going,” he added on that day, when he fell to Olympic champion Alexander Zverev. “[I] accept the moment, and let’s see what’s [coming next].'”

It’s an unprecedented season in many ways, including for the Olympic tennis event itself, which returns to clay for the first time since Barcelona 1992. It gives Nadal, now 38, the opportunity to have the most golden of send-offs – Olympic medal included or not.