PARIS — Suzanne Lenglen Court at Stade Roland Garros was hardly full Tuesday afternoon. With Paris experiencing its first hot day of the Summer Games, the vast majority of the unshaded seats remained unoccupied for the duration of the women’s singles match between Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlová and Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.
As soon as Schmiedlová closed out the three-set match, however, those empty sections started to fill up. By the time Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz took the court moments later, the stands were entirely full for their second-round men’s doubles match.
The duo, which fans have playfully dubbed, “Nadalcaraz,” undoubtedly became one of the biggest draws through the first week of the Paris Olympics.
Whether on Suzanne Lenglen, which seats just over 10,000, or the larger Philippe-Chatrier, which seats 15,000, the three “Nadalcaraz” matches reached capacity. Fans even treated their practice sessions on the infinitesimally smaller Court 3 as main events, flooding the bleachers. Many of those who didn’t claim one of the first-come, first-serve spots opted to queue at the entrance, with hopes of eventually getting a turn to watch the pair.
After advancing to the quarterfinals on Tuesday, Alcaraz shared a photo of the two via Instagram with the caption, “Quién quiere un poco más de Nadalcaraz?”
(Translation: Who wants a little more of Nadalcaraz?)
The answer: Basically everyone.
Wednesday night, though, proved to be the finale for “Nadalcaraz,” as Team USA’s Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram eliminated the duo, 6-2, 6-4.
The result was not necessarily surprising, as Krajicek and Ram, both seasoned doubles players, are seeded fourth in the tournament. Still, the loss marked the end of a pairing that was a dream come true for Alcaraz, Spaniards, and tennis fans alike.
“It was an unbelievable experience for me,” Alcaraz said via a translator. “Something that I will never forget, that’s for sure. Playing on the same side of the net with Rafa and learning from him so closely, it has been great for me. I tried to enjoy every single second that we played together.”
Nadal and Alcaraz had never teamed up prior to this year’s Olympics, with Alcaraz having played just six total doubles matches in his professional career. But “Nadalcaraz” immediately achieved fan favorite status, without having played a point together.
The week in Paris only solidified their standing as the most beloved doubles pairings. Even their opponents would agree.
“I think 98 percent [of the crowd] was against us,” said Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands team “Nadalcaraz” beat in the second round. “If you play them, anybody in the world, wherever they’re from, will support them.”
For each of their three matches, dozens of Spanish flags scattered throughout the crowd. “Ra-fa, Ra-fa” chants broke out at every opportunity, as did cheers for “Carlitos.”
Fans embraced their every move, from Nadal telling Alcaraz to stay in his place on the court, to their synchronized celebrations, to photographs of them playing the Spanish board game Parchís during their free time in the Olympic Village.
Within the Village, fellow athletes also want in on the action. Nadal and Alcaraz are two of the most famous athletes to elect to live in the Village, so they’re constantly fielding — and agreeing to — photo requests.
“I’m definitely going out of my way to find Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz,” Australian field hockey player Tatum Stewart said earlier this week.
Brazilian beach volley player George Souto Maior Wanderley shared his news as if it were a source of pride, “We saw Rafael Nadal; we saw Carlos Alcaraz.”
It certainly seems as though nobody could get enough of “Nadalcaraz.”
Part of the interest stemmed from the fact that the 38-year-old Nadal could be retiring as soon as this year. Although he has not confirmed anything about his future plans — and continued to keep mum when asked during the Olympics — Nadal has played in just two of the last seven Grand Slams because of injuries. It’s possible Wednesday’s match could be his last ever.
Part of the interest stems from the fact that Nadal, considered to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, partnered with the 21-year-old Alcaraz, considered to have the brightest future among ATP Tour players.
“Honestly, at this stage of my career, I play for feelings, I play for emotions more than for results,” Nadal said via a translator. “I’ve won enough in my career — I’ve won much more than what I have dreamt — so, for me, it’s about enjoying different experiences. And this is another lifetime experience to share with Carlos. He’s an amazing player that I think is going to be one of the best in the history of this sport.”
If Nadal does, in fact, decide to retire, then “Nadalcaraz” will be the closing memory of his 24-year pro career. Going out with a championship will always be considered the pinnacle of storybook endings. But going out representing his country to a standing ovation at a venue he calls “the most important place” of his career cannot be far behind.
Nicole Yang can be reached at nicole.yang@globe.com.Follow her @nicolecyang.