Athletistic/Tennis. On May 27, the first round match at Roland Garros took place. Spaniard Rafael Nadal lost to German representative Alexander Zverev.
Nadal, 37, lost with a score of 3:6, 6:7 (5:7), 3:6. The meeting lasted 3 hours and 6 minutes.
It should be noted that for 37-year-old Nadal, Roland Garros is the most successful tournament of his career. He has won it 14 times. Moreover, Rafael has never lost in the first round of a major tournament on clay (18-0) in his career.
The 2020 Olympic singles champion, fourth racket in the world, German Alexander Zverev, became only the third tennis player in history to manage to beat Spaniard Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros.
“It’s hard for me to say. I don’t know if this match will be the last one before you – honestly, I’m not sure, but even if it is, I really liked it. C It’s hard to put these feelings into words. It’s my favorite place.
We have to congratulate Sasha for her great match and for her victory in Rome. I wish you success in the tournament. I know that in 2022 you went through a difficult time. You deserve better. So congratulations and good luck.
I went through two very difficult years due to injuries and I went through a difficult process to achieve my dream of returning to Roland Garros. I didn’t have the best chance, but I fought, I had chances, but it wasn’t enough against such a strong opponent.
It is difficult to say what will happen in the future. There is a good chance that I will not return to Roland-Garros. But I can’t say it 100%. I really like playing tennis, I travel with my family and I have fun. And it looks like the game is going better than it was two months ago. I hope to return to this field at the Olympic Games, it motivates me. It will be another opportunity and I hope to prepare well.
Will I compete at Wimbledon? Hard to say. It all seems very complicated in perspective. I think it will be difficult for me to move to grass and then back to clay at the Olympics. I think it would be wise not to do that – that’s how I see it now. I can’t say it 100%, I confirm it, but the idea of making such a transition doesn’t seem like a very good idea,” Nadal said after the match.
“I don’t know what to say… First of all, thank you, Rafa, from everyone in tennis. It’s such a great honor that I’ve been watching Rafa’s matches throughout my childhood, I had the chance to play with him as professionals, we met twice on this magnificent pitch. Today is not my moment, but Rafa’s, so I will not say. not much,” Zverev said on the pitch.
For Nadal, this is only the fourth defeat in a Grand Slam tournament on clay and only the first in his first round. Until then, the Spaniard had only lost in this major tournament against the Serbian Novak Djokovic (2015 – quarter-finals, 2021 – semi-final) and the Swede Robin Söderling (2009 – 1/8 final).
Remember that the current champion of Roland Garros is the Serbian Novak Djokovic.
Andrey Andreev, Sport.Ru
Source: Sport
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
