Rafael Nadal’s return to the French Open ended in disappointment as he was knocked out in the first round by 4th-seeded Alexander Zverev on Monday, May 27. Zverev triumphed over the 14-time French Open champion with a scoreline of 3-6, 6-7, 3-6.
Playing his first Grand Slam match of the year after missing the Australian Open, Nadal delivered some vintage shots, thrilling the supportive crowd. Despite being the underdog, Nadal’s efforts fell short against Zverev, who avenged his 2022 semi-final defeat. The match lasted 3 hours and 5 minutes, marking only Nadal’s third career loss at Roland Garros.
Nadal received a warm reception from the Philippe-Chatrier crowd but started shakily, with Zverev breaking his serve early to lead 2-0. Despite a brief comeback, Zverev secured the first set 6-3.
In a competitive second set, Nadal rallied to force a tie-break but eventually lost. The third set saw both players exchanging leads, but Zverev maintained his composure to win the match.
Nadal exited the court to a standing ovation, signaling a potential end to his illustrious French Open chapter.