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Tom Hamilton, senior writer
PARIS – Cheers And shouts of “Vamos Rava!” It started even before Rafael Nadal’s first look at Court Philippe Chatrier. Just as in previous years, the crowd cheered even louder as their champion warmed up, to the backdrop of court announcer Marc Morey reciting his impressive list of French Open victories.
But as the match against Alexander Zverev continued, the chants turned from excitement to tension, and as it went away from Nadal, the crowd tried to cheer him on.
If this proves to be Nadal’s final swing at the French Open men’s singles title, he will fight against Zverev. Although Nadal did his best all week to downplay the idea of this fortnight in Paris being a destination on his farewell tour, there was a sense of finality. His old rival Novak Djokovic was among the crowd. His fans and Grand Slam winners Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz were also present, and they had no empty seats on this magnificent court at Roland Garros, for the first round match. They were all collectively hoping for one last tribute to Nadal – just as Serena Williams fans did at the US Open in 2022.
But tennis is a brutal sport, and there is little room for emotion. For all Nadal’s attempts to get back into the match, the horn sounds, the red and yellow flags in the crowd, and the moments that were unavoidably reminiscent of the Nadal of old, there was no ultimate brilliance at Roland Garros. For this year at least.
“If this is the last time I play here, I am at peace with myself,” Nadal said. “I have done my best to be ready for this tournament for almost 20 years. Today and for the past two years I have been working and going through probably the hardest process of my tennis career, and I had a dream to come back here. At least I did.” “I mean, I lost, but that’s part of the job.”
Since Nadal He made his debut here in 2005, won the men’s singles title that same year, and this place has become synonymous with him. His record is frankly ridiculous: he won 14 singles titles, a record 112 wins in 116 matches, which translates to a winning percentage of 96.5% – the highest winning percentage of any singles tennis player in a major tournament. He was able to win the 2008, 2010, 2017 and 2020 tournaments without losing a set. His defeat to Zverev means Nadal has only lost to three men here. Zverev now sits alongside Robin Soderling (fourth round, 2009) and Djokovic (2015 quarter-finals, 2021 semi-finals) after their victory over Nadal in Paris.
It all turned him into this legendary figure, and yet the beauty of it is that, unlike many masters, you can still witness his skill: he’s still there in front of you, unleashing that famous forehand, complete with the familiar pre-serve. Setup routine.
“I consider myself lucky to be here, and I can still see him, in the locker room or in the players’ restaurant, or see him train with the passion he has – it’s amazing,” Jannik Sinner said on Friday. “He’s definitely the biggest inspiration we have in our sport, isn’t he?” For more evidence of the love surrounding Nadal, take Alize Cornet’s reaction to the good luck message he sent her before her retirement.
But whether this is the last time we will see him at the French Open, only he knows. He has been reluctant to cede any control over his fortunes here – even to the point of lobbiing for his first-round match to be played in the afternoon, rather than the evening bout. Those are his preferred conditions – less humidity, lighter tennis balls.
He added: “Roland Garros is the most important tournament in my tennis career, and all the things I experienced there and enjoyed will remain in my heart forever.”
Rafael Nadal
For a long time, it seemed likely that this would be his last gasp. That’s been the narrative, anyway, since he announced in May 2023 that he would withdraw from the French Open (and subsequently spent the rest of the year sidelined after hip surgery) and in the same press conference said 2024 would likely be his “final year.” “On tour.
“I don’t think I deserve to end up like this,” he said at the time, sitting in his tennis academy in Manacor, Spain. He wanted to finish his career on the court one last time, sweaty and exhausted.
This press conference marked his farewell tour for the season. French Open organizers were almost certainly planning a farewell party for Nadal this year. But then came the curveball. And on Saturday — in front of a standing-room-only news conference — he added his own prominence to the debate about his future. He took control of the narrative: this was no longer a long goodbye, but rather opened the door to play beyond 2024.
“It is a very big chance that this will be my last tournament at Roland Garros, but if I had to tell you that it is 100% my last tournament at Roland Garros, sorry, but I will not do it, because I cannot predict what happens.” He added that he didn’t want to “close the door 100%”, saying he was enjoying playing tennis, loved having his family with him on tour and was still thinking about what his body could handle.
He came to The French Open champion is in patchy form — 5-3 on clay this year — as he recovers from an abdominal injury that cut short his hardcourt season at the start of the year. He has been forced to sit out Monte Carlo, and his withdrawal has raised concerns that he will not be fit in time for Roland Garros. Nadal said at the time: “My body will not allow me (to come back).” “It’s getting tough for me. It’s been a tough year and a half, and I’m trying every day.”
But he returned in time for Barcelona, where he lost in the second round to Alex de Minaur. In Madrid, he faced de Minaur again and won in straight sets, but wasn’t sure if his body could handle Paris.
“Some things are difficult to understand, but for me, Roland Garros is the most important tournament in my tennis career, and all the things I experienced there and enjoyed will remain in my heart forever,” Nadal said in Madrid. “So, it’s not about losing or winning. It’s about going on the court feeling like I can fight and be competitive and, you know, let’s go on the court and dream about what can happen.”
He eventually lost in the round of 16 to Jiri Lehica, while in Rome he was eliminated by Hubert Hurkacz in the second round in straight sets. All the while, people were saying goodbye to him: at the Madrid Open, they held up a banner saying “Thank you Rafa,” in recognition of his five victories there.
But amid all this nostalgia and the unpredictable level, Nadal was resolute and focused on adding to his 23rd Grand Slam title. A source close to Nadal told ESPN that in the lead-up to the French Open, he had been training for three hours without pain, and was building confidence. He entered the tournament unseeded, ranked 272nd in the world, but no player in the men’s draw wanted to lure him. Alcaraz was asked if he secretly wanted to draw his champion Nadal in the first round. “No, honestly,” he replied, smiling.
Players are fully aware of the aura surrounding him at Roland Garros. “You’re not playing a statue, you’re playing an actual person,” Zverev said before their first-round match. “But you’re playing against Rafael Nadal.” “For me, in my opinion, I’m going to face Rafa Nadal at the top. That’s what I expect from him. I expect him to be at his best ever. I expect him to play the best tennis he’s played in a long time.” On this court.”
Facing Nadal at Roland Garros is as much a mental task as it is a skill one. “He has the ability to spin the ball differently than other players,” Daniil Medvedev said. “Getting those high balls, especially on clay, is not easy. Then we go where he fights for every point, he brings power to every point. You know you will be tired, you know it will be difficult. It’s not easy, Rafa He will always be Rafa.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas, speaking in Monte Carlo in mid-April, summed up what it was like to play with Nadal. “I think it’s the biggest challenge on clay.”
That’s what it comes down to, is the expectation that regardless of his level or previous level at Roland Garros, he finds a way to make it work. He entered the 2022 tournament with a 4-2 record on clay that year and ended up winning it all, despite a foot injury.
Players never forget moments like this. “Apart from the fact that he hasn’t played much, he is the same at Roland Garros,” Djokovic said.
Nadal will stay forever Become a legend at the French Open. It’s just a question of whether we’ll see him again in this tournament. His old sparring partner certainly hopes so.
“If Zhao says, he will do it on the court and not on his sofa, and I like that because he is very far from being 100%,” Roger Federer said on French TV show Telematine earlier this week. . “I don’t know anything, but I would like things to end the way he decided, with his family and his team. I would like him to stay in the ring a little longer than people think.”
The same goes for Nadal. As he faced a packed Philippe Chatrier court after his defeat to Zverev, he was not ready to say goodbye. He just fought for 3 hours and 5 minutes against one of the most in-form players in the world right now, and he came close. These are the types of matches that make it hard to say goodbye.
Nadal told the fans: “There is a large percentage that I will not come back here, but I cannot say 100%.” “The body feels a little better too. Maybe in two months it will be enough, I can’t give anything else, but it’s something I don’t feel yet. I hope to be back on this field for the Olympics, that’s the motivation.”
His wife, Maria, and son, Rafael, were seen in the audience. Nadal is still focused on the next goal, looking to squeeze one last piece of magic out of his tired body. But regardless of how things turn out, whether he calls time after the Olympics, or plays a final round at next year’s French Open, Nadal looks back with no regrets.
“I enjoyed everything,” he said. “Because of tennis, I lived experiences that I could not have imagined without playing this beautiful sport, and I achieved much greater success than I ever dreamed of.
“I’ve had injuries, yes. I’ve had difficult and sad moments, yes. But on the other hand, I’ve had incredible emotional and positive moments that I’m very grateful for, and I feel very lucky for all of that.”
