Rafael Nadal couldn’t put together a big comeback at the 2024 French Open. The man who won the Roland-Garros a record 14 times has been eliminated in the first round of this year’s tournament by Alexander Zverev.
Battling a number of injuries, Nadal only managed to make three tournament appearances in 2024 prior to the French Open. Additionally, he missed almost the entire 2023 season due to a hip issue. Still, many fans believed that if someone can make a miraculous run at French Open, it was Nadal.
However, overcoming younger and healthier Zverev proved to be too big of a challenge for ailing Nadal. The Spaniard dropped the first set (6-3) before putting up a vintage performance in the second set, where he pushed Zverev to a tie-break.
Unfortunately for Nadal, he couldn’t finish the job. Zverev prevailed in the tie-break (7-6(7/5)) and then cruised to 6-3 in the third set to win the match.
This was the first time for Nadal in his career that he didn’t make at least the quarterfinals of the French Open. Additionally, it is Nadal’s fourth loss at the tournament in 19 appearances. In 2016, he was forced to withdraw in the third round due to a wrist injury, which officially doesn’t count as a loss.
Nadal previously hinted that 2024 might be his last season as a professional tennis player. However, speaking with reporters after the match, he said it might not be the end of him at Roland-Garros after all.
“It’s a big, big chance that it’s going to be my last Roland Garros, but if I have to tell you it’s 100% my last Roland Garros, sorry, but I will not because I cannot predict what’s going on, “said Nadal.
