Rafael Nadal pictured on court at the French Open. Rafael Nadal suffered only his fourth loss in 116 matches at Roland Garros since his 2005 title-winning debut when he went down to Alexander Zverev in the first round on Monday. Picture: Alain Jocard / AFP
Rafael Nadal's record-breaking French Open career came to its likely end on Monday when the 14-time champion slumped to a demoralising defeat against Alexander Zverev before he revealed his journey to the Paris Olympics in July will not take a detour to Wimbledon.
Nadal, who turns 38 on June 3, went down 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 in the first round to world number four Zverev, suffering only his fourth loss in 116 matches at Roland Garros since his 2005 title-winning debut.
It was the first time he had been defeated in Paris in the opening round and will again lead to questions over his long-term future in the sport.
"I don't know if it's the last time I'll be here in front of all of you," he said.
"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."
Nadal may not return for the 2025 French Open but he still plans to play the Olympics at Roland Garros in July.
Nadal, an Olympic singles gold medallist in Beijing in 2008 and doubles champion at the Rio Games, later told reporters: "That's my main goal now.
"I need to prepare myself the proper way to try to arrive healthy and well-prepared."
He won't make the rankings cut for the Olympics, but as a Grand Slam winner he would be eligible for a spot reserved for major winners.
🥹#RolandGarros | @RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/ssgUcyjn8X
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 27, 2024
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.
"My body has been a jungle for two years. You don't know what to expect. You know, I wake up one day and I found a snake biting me. Another day a tiger," said Nadal of his recent battles with a hip injury.
In his career, he has had to skip 11 Grand Slams. That is certain to become 12 next month when he is likely to skip Wimbledon where he was champion in 2008 and 2010.
"It looks difficult to make a transition to grass, having the Olympics again on clay," he said.
"I don't think it's going to be smart after all the things that happened to my body now make a big transition to a completely different surface and then come back immediately to clay. I don't think it's a positive idea right now."
Zverev said it had been "a great honour" to play Nadal on 11 occasions in their careers.
"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," said the German star.
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.
There are no words. Merci, Rafa 🫶#RolandGarros @RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/znj0j42Qbf
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 27, 2024
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.
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.
AFP