PARIS: Rafael Nadal’s illustrious French Open profession got here to a possible finish together with his first ever defeat within the opening spherical by Alexander Zverev on Monday, after Iga Swiatek made a successful begin in her bid for a fourth title.
Nadal matched world quantity 4 Zverev for lengthy durations on a packed Courtroom Philippe Chatrier, however slipped to a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 loss as he was overwhelmed for simply the fourth time in 116 matches on the match.
This yr’s occasion was anticipated to be the 14-time champion’s farewell to Roland Garros, however he had since insisted he couldn’t verify “100%” it could be his final look.
“Whether it is [the last time], then you could have been superb,” Nadal advised an adoring crowd beneath the Chatrier roof. “The sentiments I’ve as we speak are tough to explain in phrases. It’s the place I really like probably the most.”
Nadal, who turns 38 subsequent week, confirmed all his trademark combating qualities in a gripping match, however solely managed to transform two of 11 break factors towards an impressed opponent.
“The primary spherical wasn’t ideally suited,” he admitted, earlier than saying he “hoped” to be again at Roland Garros later this summer season for the Paris Olympics. “It’s exhausting to say concerning the future. I’m travelling with my household and I’m having enjoyable. The physique is feeling higher than it did two months in the past.”
It was solely Nadal’s fifth match since January 2023 after struggling a hip damage after which a muscle tear, arriving in Paris a lowly 275th on this planet rankings.
That left him unseeded for the draw and susceptible to a tough opening spherical.
German Zverev, who lifted the Rome Open title final month, proved too sturdy regardless of the followers desperately trying to boost Nadal to previous glories.
The 27-year-old banished the recollections of the duo’s final assembly, when he left Chatrier courtroom on a wheelchair after injuring his ankle throughout their 2022 French Open semi-final.
His reward for changing into simply the third participant to defeat Nadal at Roland Garros — after Novak Djokovic and Robin Soderling — is a match towards both David Goffin or dwelling wildcard Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Zverev began the match strongly with a break to like within the opening sport, occurring to wrap up the primary set with relative ease.
Nadal was a lot improved from his most up-to-date outing, when he was properly overwhelmed by Hubert Hurkacz within the Rome second spherical, however did not serve out the second set when main 5-4.
Zverev then got here out on prime in a tense tie-break as a Nadal return discovered the online.
The Spaniard once more broke first within the third set to guide 2-0, a lot to the delight of the 15,000 spectators in attendance, together with Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Swiatek and Manchester Metropolis footballer Rodri.
However Zverev shortly hit again as soon as extra, earlier than breaking for a 4-3 lead with an exquisite passing winner.
He secured victory on his first match level as Nadal blazed a forehand astray, doubtlessly ending probably the most dominant profession at a single occasion in Grand Slam historical past.
Ladies’s world primary Swiatek raced to a 6-1, 6-2 victory towards French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean after simply 61 minutes on Courtroom Philippe Chatrier.
The Pole will subsequent face fellow four-time main champion Naomi Osaka on Wednesday. The 22-year-old Pole is aiming to change into the primary girl to win three straight Roland Garros titles since Justine Henin in 2007, and solely the second ever after Serena Williams to win the Madrid, Rome and French Opens in the identical yr.
Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner began his title tilt with a assured 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over Wimbledon quarter-finalist Christopher Eubanks.
The Italian second seed, who withdrew from the Madrid Open and missed the Rome Open with a hip damage, arrange a second-round assembly with French veteran Richard Gasquet.
Former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Marton Fucsovics of Hungary 7-6 (9/7), 6-4, 6-1.
Ladies’s third seed Coco Gauff, the present US Open title-holder and who misplaced the 2022 French Open remaining to Swiatek, raced by means of in simply 52 minutes by crushing Russian Julia Avdeeva 6-1, 6-1. The 20-year-old goes on to face Slovenian qualifier Tamara Zidansek for a spot within the final 32.
Marketa Vondrousova, additionally a former Roland Garros runner-up and the reigning Wimbledon champion, eased previous Rebeka Masarova of Spain in straight units.
Tunisian eighth seed Ons Jabeur booked her place in spherical two with a cushty win over US wildcard Sachia Vickery.
Printed in Daybreak, Could twenty eighth, 2024