Howdy and welcome to protection from the French Open in what may very well be Rafael Nadal’s closing match at Roland Garros.
The 14-time champion begins his marketing campaign in opposition to Alexander Zverev, which is the standout match within the first spherical.
“It’s not very best the primary match, as a result of I really feel aggressive to have this match later within the event, but it surely’s how it’s,” Nadal mentioned.
“I have to be prepared for the reason that starting. Let’s see.”
The assembly will deliver again contrasting reminiscences for each gamers of the final time they met, in a French Open semi-final in 2022, when Nadal went on to win yet one more title in Paris, the final of his 22 Grand Slam victories.
Zverev was pressured to retire from that match with an ankle harm. He underwent surgical procedure and ended up lacking the remainder of the season with one other harm, however he returned final yr to achieve his third consecutive French Open semi-final.
With a few of the different high gamers corresponding to Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, combating accidents of late, this may very well be Zverev’s probability to lastly win a Grand Slam.
The German won’t have wished to fulfill Nadal so early within the event however he was joyful to have the possibility to take him on once more.
“I actually wished to play him right here. I didn’t need to play him within the first spherical. I wished to play him within the semi-finals, finals, a later stage of the event,” Zverev mentioned.
“However on the finish of the day, he’s not seeded, it’s how it’s, and I believe we’re each ready for a troublesome battle.”
Any plans to pay tribute to Nadal if he loses have been scuppered as a result of he has mentioned this won’t essentially be his closing look on the event.
“As you possibly can think about, we had one thing deliberate for him. However … as a result of he doesn’t know if it’s going to be his final Roland Garros or not, he needs to go away the door open perhaps to come back again subsequent yr as a participant. So we aren’t going to push him, clearly, to do something,” Mauresmo mentioned.
“It’s his choice when he needs to have a correct ceremony, a correct goodbye, a correct farewell. So we’re not going to do it this yr. That’s his want,” she continued. “And regardless that we have been able to push the button if one thing occurs, we clearly are going to respect what he needs and ensure we’re prepared every time he feels he needs to do it. Later this yr; subsequent yr; anytime he needs.”
