Rafael Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, misplaced in straight units to Alexander Zverev in his doubtless remaining match at Roland Garros.
Rafael Nadal’s record-breaking run on the French Open got here to a probable finish when the 14-time champion suffered a demoralizing first-round loss towards Alexander Zverev.
Nadal, who will flip 38 on June 3, fell 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 to world quantity 4 Zverev on Monday, struggling solely his fourth defeat in 116 matches at Roland Garros since his 2005 title. -Profitable debut.
It was the primary time he was defeated in Paris within the first spherical and can once more increase questions on his long-term future in tennis.
“I do not know if this would be the final time I will be right here, I am not 100% positive, however whether it is then I wish to get pleasure from it,” Nadal mentioned.
“In the present day’s emotions are troublesome to explain in phrases.”
Affected by accidents, which had restricted him to only 4 occasions since January final yr, former world primary Nadal is now ranked 275th and was unseeded in Paris.
Nevertheless, he insisted on the eve of the event that he was “100% retaining the door open” to his future in a sport that has introduced him 22 Grand Slam titles.
In a repeat of the 2022 semi-final, which Nadal received when Zverev retired with an ankle ligament harm, the Spaniard had his possibilities.
Nadal was damaged within the second and third units, solely to have his 27-year-old opponent break him on each events.
The chants of “Rafa, Rafa” echoed loudly beneath the roof of the Philippe Chatrier courtroom, which was sealed towards the torrential rain that lashed the sector and wreaked havoc on the schedule.
They fell silent when Nadal misplaced serve at love in his first service sport and was left to rue his incapacity to transform two break factors within the fourth sport.
Nadal saved two set factors within the ninth sport, however gave up the primary objective after 50 minutes when he buried a unfastened forehand into the web.
It was solely the fourth opening set he had misplaced at Roland Garros.
Nadal broke serve for the primary time within the match to take a 3-2 lead within the second set, however was unable to again up the lead and broke three-time semi-finalist Zverev again whereas serving to win the set.
A tense tiebreaker adopted that the German claimed, inspired by an extension to five/3 after a grueling 19-stroke rally.
Nadal dug deep and with the likes of Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek watching from the packed stands, he broke and held for 2-0 within the third set.
Nevertheless, Zverev regained stage at 2-2 earlier than a beleaguered Nadal needed to save 4 break factors in a 13-minute fifth sport to remain in rivalry.
The trouble was an excessive amount of and a composed Zverev quickly went 4-3 up and the match ended when Nadal hit a forehand broad and lengthy.