Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open Highlights: Nadal loses possible farewell match in straight sets

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: So we do not yet know if that was the last time we saw Nadal at the French Open. He has shown that he still has it, having matched a top five player step for step much of this match and he has said that he is focussed on the Olympics, which would bring him back to this court. Regardless of what happens, this was a chance to celebrate Nadal's career at Roland Garros. And what a career it has been. 14 wins and this was just his third defeat here in his entire senior career, having played for the first time all the way back in 2005 when he won his first major title here on French Open debut. Chances of this tournament seeing anything like him again is minuscule so hope you savoured this match. Goodbye!

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Nadal thanks the crowd at the Chatrier and then says that it is difficult to speak as he genuinely doesn't know if this is his last appearance. The crowd has been amazing throughout the time the week he has spent there preparing for the tournament. He congratulates Zverev on a great performance. He says that he himself has had a tough time with injuries lately, felt that he had worked his way back to being competitive at Roland Garros. He felt that he competed well but didn't take his chances which is why he lost. He thinks there’s a “big percentage” chance he doesn’t come back, but he’s travelling with the family and having fun; maybe in two months he says it’s enough, but he doesn’t feel that yet, hopes to back on Chatrier for the Olympics, which motivates him, and he hopes to be well prepared. The feelings he’s had on this court, he could never imagine he’d still be here at 28 – he corrects to 38 but wishes he was right first time – and it’s been a “beautiful process”.

He thanks all the people who’ve helped behind the scenes, his team and who work at Roland-Garros, and the crowd: “The feelings you make me feel here are just unforgettable,” he says, choking up. “Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart; I hope to see you again but i don’t know.”

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Zverev makes sure he doesn't talk much. He says that he has watched Nadal play since his childhood and thanks the Spaniard for all he has done in the sport. He then says that the crowd is not there to hear him talk and walks off to applause.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: A final break for Zverev, the German hardly celebrates the win. Rafael Nadal has probably played his last match at the French Open. The interviewer announces that Nadal will stay back after Zverev is done with his bit and will speak a few words.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Zverev is one game away from joining Novak Djokovic and Robin Soderling to beat Rafael Nadal at the French Open, the only one apart from Djokovic to beat Nadal here in straight sets.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Well this was coming. Zverev fights to deuce after being 40-30 down. Then Nadal pulls off what could be the shot of the tournament already with a forehand pass on the run. However, Zverev getting the break has looked almost inevitable in this set and the German does get it in the end. He leads 4-3 in the third.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: A total of four break points saved by Nadal and he leads 3-2 in the third set. How much longer can the 14-time champion keep going like this though. Zverev walked off shaking his head after Nadal took the set. Nadal went 0-15 down but then raced away to set points. Zverev fought back to make it deuce and then he got four break points in a gruelling passage of tennis. Nadal held on somehow. Can he convert this momentum into another break?

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Nadal finds himself 15-40 down on his own serve in the first game of the third set. He then sends down a backhand and forehand to save one break point and the next is saved when Zverev finds the net. Nadal serves out the game from there. Then Nadal races to 0-30. An extraordinary forehand gets him to break points, two of which is rubbed off by Zverev with a couple of sensational first serve. Nadal then finds the forehand corner and then burries the winner into the empty court. Could it be?

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Not great news for Indian fans as Nagal is suffering a bit of a rout here. Khachanov has taken the second set 6-0. Nagal holds succesfully first up in the third but Khachanov breaks his next serve to lead 2-1.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: If Nadal is to win this, he has to now take this to five sets. Zverev and Nadal both hold to start off the tie-break and that continues until the German breaks to make it 5-3. Nadal tries a drop shot at the wrong time and Zverev raises two set points. Nadal saves the first set point with a drop shot. He then nets his return though and Zverev takes the second set. He leads 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Both players hold successfully, and the second set will need a tie-break to reach a conclusion. It is not just ordinary fans watching this game from the stands. Novak Djokovic is in there to watch his old rival make his Roland Garros comeback. So is Iga Swiatek, who won her first-round match on this court a couple of hours ago.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Well just when it looked like the Rafa train is up and running, Zverev suddenly breaks the Spaniard for love! He gets to 15-0 with a couple of big forehands and then a barrage of backhands gets him to 30-0. A couple more forehands hammered down the line and Zverev levels the set.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: The 22-time Grand Slam champion gets nine consecutive points at the nets, looking utterly invincible there at the moment. Secures another hold and leads 5-3 in the second set. Zverev then manages to hold somehow but now he needs a break to stay in the set.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: The Nadal that has dominated this Grand Slam has come to the fore. He dances along the baseline and gets his first break point. Zverev looks a little forlone now, Nadal seems to be getting into that zone where he gives the opponent nightmares on clay.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Sumit Nagal has lost the first set to Karen Khachanov 6-2. Both of those game wins came from his own service games. Khachanov has give Nagal absolutely nothing thus far.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Zverev got to break point at 2-1 but Nadal came back with five points in a row. He takes the fourth game of the second set and jumps and roars. No doubting his intensity.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Both players have held serve, Nadal has been celebrating every game that he has won quite prominently and the crowd has got louder and louder with each one. Zverev looks quite assured through it all though, surely expected this and more.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: The rain has ceded and the covers have been taken off at the rest of the courts. It means India's Nagal's first round match against Khachanov is back underway. Khachanov was leading 2-1 in the first set.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Nadal finds the net with his forehand at the end of what has to be the longest game of the match and that brings the first set to an end.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Zverev holds and so this means that Nadal is serving to stay in the first set. Nadal nets a forehand and that makes it 15-all. He then makes it 30-15 with a wonderful volley on the net after two gigantic forehands.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Still no break yet for Nadal, or Zverev for that matter since the first game, but the Spaniard moves Zverev all over the place as he holds and makes it 3-4. A little break in which Zverev is given some insulin shots. Nadal looking increasingly good.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Nadal gets to two back-to-back break points thanks to consecutive errors from Zverev. A forehand goes wide and one opportunity goes, then Zverev gets to deuce with an inside-out forehand winner for a rather tame effort from Rafa. Zverev then rushes to the net and closes it out 3-1. Nadal then holds succesfully and it's 3-2 in Zverev's favour in the first set. Nadal still settling in, still not at his very best.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Nadal served first and it's a break straight away for Zverev! The break is confirmed with Nadal finding the nets. Zverev then holds to make it to 2-0.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: Rafael Nadal has walked out on to the Philippe-Chatrier, the venue that played host to the many chapters of tennis history that this Spaniard has been at the centre of. Alexander Zverev is the favourite on paper, remember, Nadal is the unseeded one here. Penny for Zverev's thoughts when the fourth seed learnt that the unseeded player he will be facing in the first round would be the greatest this tournament has ever seen.

Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev, French Open 2024 Live Updates: The rain is back and so all matches except for those at the two Lenglet and the Chatrier is interrupted once again. Nagal is trailing 1-2 in the first set.