Rafael Nadal has been eradicated from the 2024 French Open within the first spherical of the Grand Slam match. Nadal, who’s a 14-time French Open champion, misplaced to No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 on Monday.
In a match that lasted simply over three hours, Zverev was victorious in what could possibly be Nadal’s last look at Roland Garros. Following the match, Nadal left the clay courts and obtained a rousing ovation from the followers in attendance.
“As I mentioned, it is a massive, massive likelihood that it is going to be my final Roland Garros, but when I’ve to inform you it is one hundred pc my final Roland Garros, sorry, however I can’t, as a result of I can not predict what is going on on. I hope you perceive,” Nadal said following Monday’s loss.
A few of the sport’s largest stars — together with Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek — have been wanting on as Nadal exited the court docket for maybe the ultimate time.
Nadal got here into this yr’s French Open unseeded after battling by accidents in recent times. Alternatively, Zverev entered the Grand Slam match after lately profitable the Italian Open, and he’s probably seen as one of many favorites to win the French Open.
Defeating Nadal is sort of a exceptional feat as Zverev turns into simply the third participant to beat Nadal within the French Open. Djokovic and Robin Soderling are the one different gamers who took down Nadal on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
If this was Nadal’s last match on the French Open, he would end with a 112-4 profession report on the Grand Slam match. Nadal final gained the French Open in 2022, which is his final main title.
