Nadal loses to Zverev in the first round of what could be his last French Open

Rafael Nadal is out after the first round of what could be his last French Open – a tournament he has dominated since his teenage years.

Nadal, 37, has won a record 14 French championships during his career. A 15th victory proved out of reach on Monday: he lost in straight sets to Alexander Zverev.

The 3-6, 6-7, 3-6 defeat for Nadal, who is suffering from hip and abdominal injuries, came as the Paris crowd cheered him with chants of “Ra-fa!”

In a rare on-court interview after the defeat, the 22-time Grand Slam champion said that while he wasn’t 100 percent sure it would be his last French Open, “if it was the last time , I appreciated”.

“The crowd was incredible,” said the Spanish player. “The feelings I have today are difficult to describe in words, but for me it is so special to feel the love of people as I felt it in the place I love the most .”

He added that although it would be “difficult” to play on grass at Wimbledon this summer, he hoped to return to the clay at Roland Garros for the Olympics.

“It motivates me. It’s going to be another chance and I hope to be well prepared,” he declared to the audience who gave him a standing ovation.

Zverev is only the third player to beat Nadal at Roland Garros, and this is only Nadal’s fourth loss in 116 matches at Roland Garros.

Hip surgery forced him to sit out the French Open last year.

Nadal’s hip and abdominal injuries have severely limited his playing time over the past year and a half, leaving him unseeded for the French Open for the first time.

No. 4 seed Zverev, a 27-year-old German, was a finalist at the 2020 US Open and a gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics that same year.

After his victory on Monday, Zverev told Nadal that playing against him was “such a great honor.”

“Thank you, Rafa, from everyone in tennis,” he said.

Zverev then passed the microphone to Nadal, adding: “Today is not my time. It’s Rafa’s moment.