![Olympics: Nadal strikes precious gold and wakes up on top of the world | Olympics 2008 | The Guardian Olympics: Nadal strikes precious gold and wakes up on top of the world | Olympics 2008 | The Guardian](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Sport/Pix/pictures/2008/08/17/clivebrunskill460.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctYWdlLTIwMDgucG5n&enable=upscale&s=679d75d326d6a589f6834e7ab3e1a02b)
Olympics: Nadal strikes precious gold and wakes up on top of the world | Olympics 2008 | The Guardian
![FILE - Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts to winning a point against Fernando Gonzalez of Chile during their Gold medal singles tennis match at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, in this FILE - Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts to winning a point against Fernando Gonzalez of Chile during their Gold medal singles tennis match at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, in this](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2ME86AW/file-rafael-nadal-of-spain-reacts-to-winning-a-point-against-fernando-gonzalez-of-chile-during-their-gold-medal-singles-tennis-match-at-the-beijing-2008-olympics-in-beijing-in-this-sunday-aug-17-2008-file-photo-nadal-will-not-be-participating-in-the-tokyo-games-ap-photoelise-amendola-file-2ME86AW.jpg)
FILE - Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts to winning a point against Fernando Gonzalez of Chile during their Gold medal singles tennis match at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, in this
![Spain's Tennis player Rafael Nadal during a training session at an Olympic Green tennis court in Beijing on August 5, 2008. Three days before the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Spain's Tennis player Rafael Nadal during a training session at an Olympic Green tennis court in Beijing on August 5, 2008. Three days before the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2E56ERY/spains-tennis-player-rafael-nadal-during-a-training-session-at-an-olympic-green-tennis-court-in-beijing-on-august-5-2008-three-days-before-the-opening-of-the-2008-beijing-olympic-games-photo-by-gouhier-hahn-nebingercameleonabacapresscom-2E56ERY.jpg)
Spain's Tennis player Rafael Nadal during a training session at an Olympic Green tennis court in Beijing on August 5, 2008. Three days before the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
![Spain's Rafael Nadal defeats, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3, Chile's Fernando Gonzalez in their Men's Gold Final Tennis match of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Day 9 at the Olympic Green Tennis Center in Spain's Rafael Nadal defeats, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3, Chile's Fernando Gonzalez in their Men's Gold Final Tennis match of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Day 9 at the Olympic Green Tennis Center in](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2E56TBX/spains-rafael-nadal-defeats-6-3-7-6-6-3-chiles-fernando-gonzalez-in-their-mens-gold-final-tennis-match-of-the-beijing-2008-olympic-games-day-9-at-the-olympic-green-tennis-center-in-beijing-china-on-august-17-2008-photo-by-gouhier-hahn-nebingercameleonabacapresscom-2E56TBX.jpg)