Zinedine Zidane passes torch to Rafael Nadal during star-studded Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony

The Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony took place on Saturday. For the first time in Olympic history, the opening ceremony didn’t start off in a stadium, but began from the river Seine, where an armada of boats carried over 200 delegation of athletes, through the city. The boats began from the Pont d’AUsterlitz bridge, covering six kilometres, before reaching the Pont d’Lena, which is nearby Eiffel Tower. The culmination of the opening ceremony was held at the Champions Park, a temporary stadium which has been erected in front of the Trocadero, by the Eiffel Tower.

The Olympic torch was also passed between French athetes on the final leg. Meanwhile in the final torch relay late in the ceremony, football legend Zinedine Zidane handed off the torch to Rafael Nadal. Then on a boat along the Seine, Nadal handed the torch to former player Serena Williams.

The Games are being held in Zidane’s country, whom he led to 1998 World Cup glory. Meanwhile, Nadal is currently participating in the Olympics, in what is also probably his swansong year. He will be participating in the men’s singles category and will also partner Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s doubles. Meanwhile, just like Zidane, Serena is also a retired athlete now.

Nadal could face his longtime rival Novak Djokovic in the second round of the men’s singles tennis event. Djokovic was drawn Thursday against Australian Matthew Ebden and Nadal faces Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, with the winners of those matches meeting in Round 2. What will make it more special for Nadal is that the matches will be held at Roland Garros, where Nadal has won a record-extending 14 French Open titles.

He will also look to get his third Olympic gold, having won a singles gold at Beijing 2008 and doubles at Rio 2016. Speaking to reporters in Paris, Nadal was full of praise for Alcaraz, and revealed that he was ‘excited’ to partner ‘the best player in the world right now’.

“I’m excited to play with the best player in the world right now and the one who will be one of the best in history,” he said, while talking to Cadena SER.

Meanwhile, Alcaraz also hailed Nadal and said, “It is a dream to play with Rafa. It will be a memory that will remain engraved.”