Andy Murray learns Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz fate as Olympics draw sets up fascinating ties
Andy Murray and Dan Evans will get their competition underway this weekend
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Andy Murray has landed on the other side of the men's doubles draw to Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal at the Paris Olympics.
The three-time major champion has confirmed that he will retire after this summer's Olympics.
Murray was originally set to take part in both the singles and doubles events, but he pulled out of the former just hours before the draw was made.
His withdrawal from the singles draw meant that Dutchman Robin Haase was bumped up from the 'alternate' list to take his place.
Andy Murray and Dan Evans will get their competition underway this weekend
REUTERS
But the 37-year-old committed himself to the doubles draw alongside Dan Evans and they will play against Japan's Taro Daniel and Kei Nishikori in the first round.
The doubles draw features a host of big names with arguably no bigger pairing than Alcaraz ad Nadal.
However, Murray and Evans won't be able to face the Spanish pair until the final if they make it that far having landed on opposite halves of the draw.
Alcaraz and Nadal face Argentina's Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez in the first round.
Nishikori has played doubles several times in his career and made it to the quarter-finals of the Tokyo Olympics alongside Ben McLachlan.
Daniel is less experienced at doubles, although he did play the format at the Australian Open and Wimbledon a few years ago.
Murray is hopeful that the draw offers him a good opportunity of going far in the competition.
“They won’t have played too much doubles together over the years," Murray said.
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz are also in the doubles draw
REUTERS
"But Kei is obviously a classy tennis player, he has played a lot of doubles over the years and can play very well.
"I’ve played Daniel in singles, I lost to him at the Australian Open a few years ago.
“But me and Evo have practised a bit together. We have played tournaments together in the past. We have the potential to be a good team.
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Andy Murray and Dan Evans face Taro Daniel and Kei Nishikori in the first round
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“But the Olympics doubles is different, because there’s a lot of pairings in there, you know a lot of the singles guys are playing that maybe don’t the rest of the year.
"There’s a lot of kind of scratch pairings. But a lot of them can play extremely good tennis.”