Paris [France], May 27 : Tennis great Rafael Nadal dismissed the talk of playing his last match at the French Open 2024 and the Spaniard said he "wasn't 100 per cent sure" if it would be his final tournament appearance.
The 14-time French Open champion Nadal gave his all in what might be his final appearance in the French Open but fell prey to the sharp forehand aggressive play of Alexander Zverev as he lost 3-6, 6-7(4), 3-6 in the blockbuster opening round clash on Monday.
The former World No. 1 Nadal suffered his first-ever first-round defeat at Roland Garros.
The 'King of Clay' also revealed that playing a match in the upcoming Paris Olympics is "motivation" to continue his glorious career after defeat to Zverev in the first round.
After the match, Nadal was sent off properly by the fans, who chanted his name for several minutes before he took the microphone to address them, and his future plans. The Court Philippe-Chatrier people witnessed vintage Nadal moments with the 14-time champion playing the best tennis, especially with his trademark forehand passing shot in a three-hour and 5-minute match.
The Spaniard voiced his appreciation to the fans for their unwavering support throughout the game, citing that he wasn't sure if it might be his last Roland Garros appearance.
"The amount of feelings that I had on this amazing court during all my tennis career is just unbelievable. I never dreamed I would be here at almost 38 years old, with all the success I had here, winning so many times - it is something that I never dreamt of," Nadal said as quoted by Roland Garros.
"For me, it's difficult to say what will happen in the future. It's a big percentage that I won't be back at Roland-Garros, but I can't say 100 per cent. I enjoy playing here, I like travelling with the family, and my body is feeling a little bit better than it did two months ago," he added.
For now, Nadal will look to continue testing himself against the best players in the world, with dreams of being back in Paris for the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games.
"I hope to be back on this court for the Olympics. That motivates me," Nadal said with a smile.
After three hours and five minutes, though, Zverev's powerful serve, forceful forehand, and composure under duress proved to be too much to overcome. Talk of this intriguing matchup, a replay of their Paris semifinal from two years prior, when they played for almost three hours before Zverev was forced to withdraw due to a terrible ankle injury, began as soon as the draw was announced at Roland Garros.
WTA No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Carlos Alcaraz, and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic all sat in the stands to watch the event because there was so much hype around the match.
The match was fiercely battled for a straight-sets victory, but every time Nadal appeared to have the upper hand and unite the boisterous audience behind him, Zverev came up with a countermove to regain the upper hand.
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