Alcaraz Says He Would Pick Paris Olympics Gold Over French Open Crown 

Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz offers a press conference prior to his debut at the IEB+ Argentina Open tennis tournament, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12 February 2024. (EPA)
Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz offers a press conference prior to his debut at the IEB+ Argentina Open tennis tournament, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12 February 2024. (EPA)
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Alcaraz Says He Would Pick Paris Olympics Gold Over French Open Crown 

Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz offers a press conference prior to his debut at the IEB+ Argentina Open tennis tournament, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12 February 2024. (EPA)
Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz offers a press conference prior to his debut at the IEB+ Argentina Open tennis tournament, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12 February 2024. (EPA)

Carlos Alcaraz will have the chance to win the Olympic tennis title at Roland Garros this year as well as the French Open crown and while he will be gunning for both the Spaniard said if forced to choose, he would pick the Paris Games gold.

The Olympic tennis tournament will take place in July, a month after the year's second Grand Slam on the same claycourts in the French capital.

"For me, it's a dream to bring a medal to my country and winning gold is one of the greatest things that can happen to you in the world of sport," Alcaraz told reporters in Buenos Aires, where he will defend his title this week.

"This year, if you gave me a choice, I'd say that I will keep the Olympic gold, although I would like to win both. I'm not going to lie."

The 20-year-old won the US Open in 2022 and Wimbledon last year but failed to add to his Grand Slam collection last month after going out in the Australian Open quarter-finals to Alexander Zverev, who won Olympic gold in Tokyo.

While German Zverev leads their career meetings 5-3, Alcaraz said world number one Novak Djokovic and Melbourne Park champion Jannik Sinner were top of the tree.

"I think Djokovic and Sinner are the rivals to beat, there is no doubt, both for me and for everyone," world number two Alcaraz added.

"Zverev also has the winning head-to-head against me, he's a rival I have very much in my mind, but I do think that Djokovic and Sinner are at the top right now."



Atletico Madrid Beats Leganes in Spanish League in Partially Closed Stadium

Atletico Madrid Beats Leganes in Spanish League in Partially Closed Stadium
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Atletico Madrid Beats Leganes in Spanish League in Partially Closed Stadium

Atletico Madrid Beats Leganes in Spanish League in Partially Closed Stadium

Fewer fans than normal watched Atletico Madrid beat Leganes 3-1 on Sunday in a Spanish league match played in a partially closed stadium because of recent fan trouble.
Alexander Sorloth scored twice and Antoine Griezmann once after the visitors took the lead in the first half at the Metropolitano stadium, which had an empty fan section behind one of the goals as punishment after Atletico fans threw objects on the field during a city derby against Real Madrid last month, The Associated Press reported.
The section is where the club's more radical supporters usually gather.
Atletico had been originally ordered to close the section for three matches but appealed the decision and the punishment was reduced to a single match. The derby was interrupted for more than 15 minutes after fans threw the objects near Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in a game that ended 1-1.
Sunday's victory, which ended Atletico's three match winless streak in all competitions, moved Diego Simeone's team to third place in the league, four points behind leaders Barcelona and Madrid.
Also Sunday, Mallorca defeated visiting Rayo Vallecano 1-0 with a goal by Vedat Muriqi in the 75th. It was the fourth win in five matches for Mallorca, which moved to sixth place in the standings. Rayo stayed ninth.