RIO DE JANEIRO — Remember that look in Paris? It was late May and Rafael Nadal was sitting in a news conference with his lips pursed, his eyes full of gloom and his left wrist in a brace as he announced his withdrawal from the French Open, the Grand Slam tournament that he had won a record nine times.
Flash forward to Friday night, where he was flat on his stomach and feeling nothing but joy after winning an Olympic gold medal for Spain in men’s doubles with Marc Lopez.
“An amazing experience,” Nadal said.