Nadal loses first round match in straight sets
PrashantNews
Who can forget Alexendra Zevrev’s loud cries after he suffered a brute ankle injury in a semi-final match against Rafael Nadal in the French Open in 2022? The Spaniard went on to win French Open for the record 14th time in that year.
Two years later, Zevrev came back on the same red clay to shed tears in joy, not in pain.
In sharp contrast to the 2022 semi-final match, Zevrev on Monday celebrated some great moments of joy as he defeated Nadal in the first round in straight sets in what could be 14-time champion’s last tennis appearance. Zevrev won the match 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 thus became just third man after Novak Djokovic and Robin Soderling to beat Nadal on red clay in the French Open.
Amid reports of his retirement, Nadal on Sunday has amply hinted that the French Open may not be his last match.
After losing the first set easily, Nadal looked very aggressive and started playing his typical game in the second set. But he lost the set in tie-break. In the third set Nadal was going strong and was 3-3 at one time but soon he was overpowered by Zevrev in the rest of the games.
“I don’t know if this the last time I will be here, I am not 100 percent sure but if it is then I wanted to enjoy it,” said Nadal. “The feelings today are difficult to describe in words,” he said.