 "Rafael Nadal suffers French Open first-round exit in potentially last appearance")
Rafael Nadal crashed out of the 2024 French Open in the first round with a straight-sets defeat against world No 4 Alexander Zverev on Monday in what possibly is his final appearance at Roland Garros.
The 14-time French Open champion could hardly keep up with his German opponent, suffering a 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 loss in front of a packed Court Philippe-Chatrier on Monday.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner, however, did not confirm right away whether Monday’s defeat against Zverev was indeed his swansong at his favourite hunting ground.
During his post-match interview, Nadal remained hopeful of returning to action the following year even if his chances of doing so appeared slim judging by his current fitness and form.
It was only Nadal’s fourth defeat in 116 matches since he won the title on Roland Garros debut in 2005. It was the first time the Spanish tennis legend, who turns 38 on 3 June, was defeated in the first round of the clay-court Grand Slam, further raising doubts over his future in the sport.
“It is difficult for me to talk, I don’t know if it’s the last time I’ll be here in front of all of you,” he said.
“Honestly, I am not sure. If it is, then you have been amazing. The feelings I have today are difficult to describe in words. It is the place I love the most.”
He added: “It’s hard to say about the future. I am travelling with my family and I am having fun. The body is feeling better than it did two months ago.
“Maybe in two months I say it’s enough. That is something I don’t feel yet.”
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 27, 2024
Nadal, however, will be returning to the French capital in a couple of months’ time as he hopes to represent Spain in this year’s Summer Olympics and add a second gold medal to his collection, however, tough the prospect.
Plagued by injuries, which had limited him to just four events since January last year, former world number one Nadal is now 275 in the rankings and was unseeded in Paris.
However, he insisted on the eve of the tournament that he was “100% keeping the door open” on his future in a sport which has brought him 22 Grand Slam titles.
‘Thank you Rafa’
“I don’t know what to say. Thank you Rafa from all of the tennis world. It is such a great honour,” said Zverev.
“I’ve watched Rafa play all my childhood and I was lucky enough to play him two times on this beautiful court. Today is not my moment, it is Rafa’s moment.”
In a repeat of the 2022 semi-final, which Nadal won when Zverev quit with ankle ligament damage, the Spaniard had his chances.
He was a break of serve up in the second and third sets, only to be pinned back on both occasions by his in-form 27-year-old opponent.
However, a relentless Zverev broke six times from 18 opportunities and fired 44 winners to Nadal’s 34.
Chants of “Rafa, Rafa” had loudly echoed under the roof of Court Philippe Chatrier which was shut tight against the torrential rain sweeping across the grounds and bringing havoc to the schedule.
They subsided to silence when Nadal was broken to love in his opening service game and he was left to regret his inability to convert two break points in the fourth game.
Nadal saved two set points in the ninth game but surrendered the opener after 50 minutes when he buried a loose forehand into the net.
It was only the fourth opening set he had lost at Roland Garros.
Nadal broke for the first time in the match to lead 3-2 in the second set but couldn’t back up the advantage and handed the break back to three-time semi-finalist Zverev as he served for the set.
‘Beautiful process’
A tense tie-breaker followed which the German claimed, buoyed by stretching to 5/3 on the back of a gruelling 19-shot rally.
Nadal dug deep and with the likes of Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek having watched from the packed stands, he broke and held for 2-0 in the third set.
However, Zverev again roared back to level at 2-2 before a besieged Nadal had to save four break points in a 13-minute fifth game to stay in contention.
The effort was too much and a composed Zverev was soon 4-3 up and the match was over when Nadal fired a forehand wide and long.
_WIth AFP inputs
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