May 24, 2024, 8:14 PM ET
Roland Garros 2024 is clear that it will be unforgettableso it could be the last French Open for Rafael Nadal (276°), 14-time winner of this Grand Slam. To make matters worse, it will begin with a main course that could easily be a second week match: Nadal will face Alexander Zverev (5th) in his debut.
Given this, which could mark the Mallorcan’s farewell, Zverev spoke to the press and spoke about it: “My brother told me that I was going to face him, at first I thought he was making a joke“.
“I wanted to face Nadal again, because I didn’t want my last memory of my matches against Rafa to be me leaving the court in a wheelchair.. In an ideal world I would have liked to play later in the tournament, but things turned out that way. He is not seeded and I am. It’s a hard picture, but it’s a hard picture for both of us. We’ll see how things go on Monday,” Sascha said.
Zverev prepares for his battle with Nadal. Getty Images.
“I can guarantee that neither Djokovic, nor Alcaraz nor Sinner wanted to face him in the first round. Now everyone is excited for the battle and the first round ahead. He is eager and I am also very eager. You face the statue. In my mind, I approach this match thinking that I am playing against the best Rafael Nadal. That’s what I expect from him, I hope he is at his best level, I hope he plays the tennis that he has been playing for a long time on this court“he added.
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The record between the two is 7-3 in favor of Nadalwho took the last victory in the semifinals of Roland Garros 2022, when Zverev was injured before the second set tiebreak (the first set had been for Rafa).
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2024-05-25 00:14:00
#Zverev #mind #play #Rafael #Nadal
