Rafael Nadal was eliminated Monday in the first round of what could be his last Roland-Garros by world number 4, Alexander Zverev (6-3, 7-6, 6-3) in 3h05.
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With his bandana around his forehead, his long and meticulous routines, his lasso forehand, Rafael Nadal, long uncertain, was well on the Central Monday, but it was Alexander Zverev who won in three sets against the king of Roland -Garros. The German, 4th in the world, still took 3h05 to overcome the fierce resistance of the Spaniard and win 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 in what could turn out to have been Nadal’s last match at Roland Garros since his debut and the first of his 14 titles, in 2005.
“ I’m not 100% sure, but if this is the last time, I had fun », assured the Spaniard, repeating after the meeting that there was “ a high percentage chance » that he doesn’t come back. “ In any case, I hope to come back for the Olympic Games » this summer, he added. Rafael Nadal has never been eliminated in the first round of Roland-Garros. But was it really a first round? In fact, yes, obviously. But the people in the stands (including Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek), the tension and the level of his opponent plunged the event into a final atmosphere.
Zverev not impressed
Under the closed roof, the volume of the ovation increased as the announcer recounted Nadal’s fourteen coronations, until the explosion when his name was pronounced. The first exchange of the game, on Nadal’s serve, ended with a completely missed drop shot from the Spaniard who again conceded a winning shot, committed a double fault and sent a final backhand into the net to let d entering his service game.
Not only was Zverev not impressed by his opponent, but he accepted the tug of war from the baseline with relish: Nadal is no longer as fast as in his heyday and has gradually allowed himself to be overwhelmed . Times are changing, Rafa found himself caught in the long exchanges and it was his opponent’s big forehands that hit the mark, not his own.
The “Vamos Rafa” rose from the stands and the Spaniard’s points were loudly celebrated. Although he no longer has the capacity of his twenty years, Nadal has on the other hand lost none of his fighting spirit. Some very nice shots in the 4th game of the second set woke up the beast. While the stands rose as one to shout their joy at seeing him win his service game in style, he himself shouted his satisfaction with a big jump and a clenched fist. In the process, a winning drop shot allowed him to make the break to lead 3-2. He confirms at 4-2 by finally landing a big attacking forehand along the line that Zverev fails to put back into the court.
A rebellion but no turnaround
Suddenly his strikes slammed a lot more. His balls became longer, and the Spaniard achieved feats on the volley. At the same time, his opponent made a few unforced errors and Nadal found himself serving for the set at 5-4. But instead of concluding, he conceded a blank break. And it was he who found himself under pressure again to serve to take the set to the tie break. Despite all his efforts and a few smoking shots, he could not prevent the German from leading two sets to zero.
But if Zverev thought he had extinguished his opponent’s desires, the latter quickly set his mind straight by achieving the break to lead 2-0 at the start of the third set. The German still came back into the fight and fought hard to equalize at 2-2. Then, at 3-3, the German lined up three games in a row to win, despite a Center Court won over to the Mallorcan’s cause. This Monday, May 27, he probably witnessed one last historic event.