Rafael Nadal isn't sure whether he will play in Paris again after his Olympics end in a doubles loss

PARIS (AP) — When it was over, when Rafael Nadal's Paris Games — and his Olympic career — ended with a doubles loss in a stadium central to his legacy because it hosts the French Open, which he's won a record 14 times, he soaked in the applause accompanying his exit from the red clay.

Was this 6-2, 6-4 defeat alongside Carlos Alcaraz to the fourth-seeded American duo of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram actually Nadal's last match at Roland Garros?

Let's let Nadal answer: “Maybe,” he said later in the evening. “I don't know.”

Was it his last match anywhere? No way for anyone to be sure if he himself isn't.

After collecting his equipment from the sideline, the 38-year-old Spaniard looked around the place that has meant so much to him during his time in tennis and waved to the spectators, who were bidding adieu with the latest in a series of standing ovations for him during these Olympics. Nadal paused before stepping through the doorway that leads toward the locker room, and Alcaraz placed his right hand on his partner’s left shoulder.

“If that’s the last time (here) for me, it’s an unforgettable feeling and emotions. They give me the love and support every single second that I have been on court,” Nadal said about the spectators, who clapped and yelled and sang for him throughout the quarterfinal match.

“It's super, super special to feel that, particularly in this place. So I can't really thank all of them enough for giving me the feelings I have inside myself and the emotions they make me feel,” he continued. “I don't know what's going to happen in the future, but if that's the last time, I enjoyed it.”

The match was played at Court Philippe Chatrier, where French Open finals are contested, where he accumulated more than half of his haul of 22 Grand Slam trophies.

“For me,” Ram said, “Rafa at Roland Garros is the ultimate.”

Nadal has not announced anything about a possible retirement, but given his age and recent history of injuries — including hip surgery in 2023 — it seems safe to say he probably does not have much left in him. He said Wednesday he doubts he will compete in the U.S. Open, which starts in late August.

“I need some time (to decide), but for me, (it) looks difficult,” Nadal said.

He won gold medals for Spain in singles at Beijing in 2008 and in doubles at Rio de Janeiro in 2016. This time around, he was defeated in singles on Monday by rival Novak Djokovic.

When Krajiceck served out the victory, Alcaraz and Nadal hugged on one side of the net — and the Americans did the same on the other side.

“It was an unbelievable experience for me. It’s something I will never forget, that’s for sure — playing on the same side of the net (as) Rafa,” Alcaraz said. “I tried to enjoy every single second that we played together.”

Nadal and Alcaraz are not frequent doubles players — indeed, this was their first event together.

They do, however, own a combined 26 Grand Slam singles titles. Alcaraz has four, including this year’s French Open in June, then Wimbledon in July.

“I'm a little disappointed right now,” Alcaraz said. “Obviously we wanted to keep going. We wanted to get the win and give us a chance to fight for a medal.”

Ram and Krajicek are far more accomplished in doubles. Both have been ranked No. 1. Ram has collected four Grand Slam titles in men’s doubles with another partner and Krajicek one.

All four players on court could be heard communicating over the hush that enveloped the stands shortly before points began. At moments, the Americans’ yells of “You! You!” were clearly audible.

After points — especially those won by Nadal and Alcaraz — it got loud under the retractable roof shut because of rain. Really loud. There were chants of “Ra-fa!” and chants for his country — “Es-pa-ña!” — occasionally answered by far less vociferous shouts of “U-S-A!”

Nadal is as popular a player who ever has competed at Roland Garros. So popular that there is a steel statue of him that stands just outside Chatrier.

It was in that arena that he was handed those 14 French Open trophies. And in that arena that he lost to rival Djokovic on Monday.

No one knows whether he ever will go back and play there again. If he doesn't return, it's hard to say who would be sadder — Nadal himself or his many, many fans.

“At this stage of my career, I play for feelings,” he said. “I play for emotions, more than for results.”

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Carlos Alcaraz, left, and Rafael Nadal of Spain leave the court after losing against Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram of the USA during the men's doubles quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal of Spain compete against Austin Krajicek Rajeev Ram of the USA during the men's doubles quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Austin Krajicek Rajeev Ram of the USA compete against Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal of Spain during the men's doubles quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal of Spain compete against Austin Krajicek Rajeev Ram of the USA during the men's doubles quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Austin Krajicek Rajeev Ram of the USA compete against Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal of Spain during the men's doubles quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Carlos Alcaraz, left, and Rafael Nadal of Spain leave the court after losing against Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram of the USA during the men's doubles quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Thursday that leader Kim Jong Un supervised successful tests of two types of missiles — one designed to carry a “super-large conventional warhead” and the other likely for a nuclear warhead, as he ordered officials to bolster up his country’s military capabilities to repel United States-led threats.

The tests appear to be the same as the multiple missile launches that neighboring countries said North Korea performed Wednesday, extending its run of weapons displays as confrontations with the U.S. and South Korea escalate.

The official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim oversaw the launch of the country’s newly built Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5 ballistic missile tipped with a dummy “4.5-ton super-large conventional warhead.” It said the test-firing was meant to verify an ability to accurately hit a 320 kilometer (200 mile) -range target, suggesting it’s a weapon aimed at striking sites in South Korea.

KCNA said Kim also guided the launch of an improved “strategic” cruise missile, a word implying the weapon was developed to carry a nuclear warhead.

After the tests, Kim stressed the need to continue to “bolster up the nuclear force” and acquire “overwhelming offensive capability in the field of conventional weapons, too," according to KCNA. It cited the Kim as saying that North Korea can thwart its enemies' intentions to invade only when it has strong military power.

KCNA released photos of a missile hitting a ground target. South Korea's military said later Thursday it assessed that both ballistic and cruise missiles fired by North Korea the previous day landed in the North's mountainous northeastern region.

North Korea typically test-launches missiles off its east coast, and it's highly unusual for the country to fire missiles at land targets likely because of concerns about potential damages on the ground if the weapons land in unintended areas.

Jung Chang Wook, head of the Korea Defense Study Forum think tank in Seoul, said North Korea likely aims to show it's confident about the the accuracy of its new ballistic missile with a high-powered warhead meant to attack ground targets. But Jung said North Korea hasn't acquired weapons that can penetrate deep into the earth and destroy underground structures.

The Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5 ballistic missile's first known test occurred in early July. North Korea said the July test was successful as well, but South Korea's military disputed the claim saying one of the two missiles fired by North Korea travelled abnormally during the initial stage of its flight before falling at an uninhabited area near Pyongyang, the capital. North Korea hasn't released photos on the July launches.

North Korea has been pushing to introduce a variety of sophisticated weapons systems designed to attack both South Korea and the mainland U.S. to deal with what it calls its rivals’ intensifying security threats. Many foreign experts say North Korea would ultimately want to use its enlarged arsenal as leverage to win greater concessions in future dealings with the U.S.

Worries about North Korea deepened last week as it disclosed photos of a secretive facility built to enrich uranium for nuclear bombs. Since late May, North Korea has also floated thousands of trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea, prompting the South to resume anti-North loudspeaker broadcasts at border areas.

Follow AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missiles launch during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missiles launch during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

This photo provided by the North Korean government, shows what it says a launch of an improved strategic cruise missile at an undisclosed place in North Korea Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, oversees a launch of, what it says, the country’s newly built Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5 ballistic missile at an undisclosed place in North Korea Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)