Rafael Nadal has been eliminated from the 2024 French Open in the first round of the Grand Slam tournament. Nadal, who is a 14-time French Open champion, lost to No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 on Monday.
In a match that lasted just over three hours, Zverev was victorious in what could be Nadal’s final appearance at Roland Garros. Following the match, Nadal left the clay courts and received a rousing ovation from the fans in attendance.
“As I said, 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 percent my last Roland Garros, sorry, but I will not, because I cannot predict what’s going on. I hope you understand,” Nadal said following Monday’s loss.
Some of the sport’s biggest stars — including Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek — were looking on as Nadal exited the court for perhaps the final time.
Nadal came into this year’s French Open unseeded after battling through injuries in recent years. On the other hand, Zverev entered the Grand Slam tournament after recently winning the Italian Open, and he is likely viewed as one of the favorites to win the French Open.
Defeating Nadal is quite a remarkable feat as Zverev becomes just the third player to beat Nadal in the French Open. Djokovic and Robin Soderling are the only other players who took down Nadal on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
If this was Nadal’s final match at the French Open, he would finish with a 112-4 career record at the Grand Slam tournament. Nadal last won the French Open in 2022, which is his last major title.
KVSP