French Open Day 2: Rafael Nadal bows out in bitter defeat to Alexander Zverev
Deux-mille-cinq, deux-mille-six, deux-mille-sept, deux-mille-huit, deux-mille-dix, deux-mille-onze, deux-mille-douze, deux-mille-treize, deux-mille-quatorze, deux-mille-dix-sept, deux-mille-dix-huit, deux-mille-dix-neuf, deux-mille-vingt et deux-mille-vingt-deux.
Roland Garros announcer Marc Maury’s unmistakable cadence, geeing up even the most indifferent. It was Rafael Nadal time – the man synonymous with the French Open. To dart, to grunt, to punish, to leap, to roar, everything all at once. T-shirts with ‘Rafa’ stuck across the front neatly wrapped around the court with everyone longing for one last miracle.
An unbelievable ovation followed as the 14-time champion stepped onto Court Phillipe-Chatrier – utter adoration from a crowd who’ve fallen for the Spaniard’s quirks, his humble domination – The King of Clay was back, likely for a reluctant final time.
Novak Djokovic came out to watch. Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz, the trusted inheritors of the Nadal throne also watched on with admiration, bated breath. An exhibition of clay court prowess, if only through memories rather than today’s display which ultimately fell short.
Out of the 115 occasions Nadal had darted around the clay, he’d lost just three times. While nothing apart from a fifteenth title would mark a fitting end for Nadal, the occasion was bitter, joy was lopsided, the clouds above grey and damp.
His opponent Alexander Zverev should not be here. The German has a court date set for the 31st May, the sixth day of the tournament. He will be contesting allegations of assault against his ex-girlfriend. Zverev was previously issued a penalty order for bodily harm and fined £385,000 (€450,000), and due to him denying and subsequently contesting the charges, a trial is set to go ahead.
Tennis authorities have abjectly failed to handle the situation. Zverev himself has bristled, furiously huffed and snapped at questions put to him.
While other sports, such as the NBA and NFL have constructed domestic abuse policies that would lead to the athlete being recused from the sport until legal matters are concluded, the ATP has come up short, passed the buck, ushered the problem into a corner and pray we distract ourselves with something less grisly.
In fact, Zverev sits on the ATP council, the very board that may eventually come together to form it.
The three sets took longer than many predicted. A trademark fist pump and cry of ‘Vamos’ occasionally re-invited the indulgent Parisian crowd but a composed, lean Zverev was keen to spoil the party and came through 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
Zverev had approached the match cleanly and was in fine form off the back of a successfully clay season. Having won in Rome the week prior, the biggest achievement since the injury he sustained here against Nadal two years ago, the fourth seed entered the match the favourite – in fact I would not be surprised to see him win it.
The match teetered and swayed but never in the way we quite longed for. There were no miracles. Tie-breaks went the way of Zverev and the match was largely dictated by the confident, at times relentless groundstrokes of the fourth seed, tipped to go all the way.
“I never could imagine when I was a kid that I would be here at almost 38 with all the success I had here. I really hope to see you again – but I don’t know,” Nadal reflected afterwards. It certainly sounded like goodbye.
There’s no getting away from the fact Zverev’s presence here feels wrong. His third round match is set to coincide with his trial and will follow him throughout the fortnight. The same questions will be levelled and the same silence from the ATP will undoubtedly continue.
