Rafael Nadal had not anticipated a farewell event at the French Open, yet circumstances led to an unexpected one as Alexander Zverev ended his journey in the initial round at Roland Garros. Nadal’s defeat by Alexander Zverev with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, potentially marked his final appearance at Roland Garros. This marked the first instance in his extensive and distinguished career that Nadal experienced back-to-back losses on clay courts and the first time he exited a French Open prior to the fourth round.
Recognized as the unparalleled ‘King of Clay’, he received tremendous support from family, friends, and adversaries at the arena where he achieved some of his most significant victories. Despite refusing to confirm any parting words prior to his opening match, Nadal, who returned to the tournament he missed in 2023, displayed glimpses of his remarkable form on Court Philippe Chatrier. Although the 37-year-old put up a valiant fight, he was eventually convinced by the tournament director, Amelie Mauresmo, to address the spectators after his defeat.
Zverev’s victory secured his position as only the third individual to conquer Nadal at Roland Garros, following the footsteps of Novak Djokovic and Robin Soderling. This win also erased memories of his retirement from the 2022 semi-finals due to an ankle injury.
Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, who clinched his first Musketeers’ Cup in 2005 and the last in 2022 before a substantial hip injury disrupted his career, had previously hinted at the possibility of this year being his final one on the tour.
The first set saw Nadal being broken by the in-form Rome champion, Zverev, in the opening game, compounded by surrendering his serve late on due to unfavorable conditions caused by the closed roof following heavy rain. However, Nadal showcased a positive start in the subsequent set, gaining momentum until Zverev’s resilient performance led to an intense tie-breaker. Despite gaining a 2-0 lead in the third set, Nadal was unable to maintain his advantage, succumbing to Zverev’s strong counterattack.
The conclusion of the match was marked by subdued celebrations from Nadal as he hit a forehand wide on the match point, prompting Chatrier to rise, possibly for the last time, to honor their beloved athlete. Nadal, who celebrates his 38th birthday on June 3, entered the French Open as an unseeded player for the first time, witnessing his career record at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament shift to 112-4, with his other losses occurring against Soderling in 2010 and twice against Djokovic in 2015 and 2021.
In a separate match, British No. 1 Cameron Norrie faced defeat in the first round against Russian Pavel Kotov, enduring a challenging five-set battle. Despite initially taking a lead, Norrie ultimately conceded victory as Kotov secured a compelling win. Similarly, Harriet Dart faced a loss against the Czech 27th seed Linda Noskova with a score of 7-6 (7-3), 6-4. The setbacks for Andy Murray and Jack Draper on Sunday shifted Britain’s focus in the singles competition to the upcoming matches of Katie Boulter and Dan Evans, scheduled for Tuesday.
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