Rafa Nadal has revealed he’s unlikely to play Wimbledon this year after losing to Alexander Zverev in the first round of what is likely to be his final French Open appearance. Nadal went down 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 to Zverev at Roland Garros on Monday night, and admitted there is a “big percentage” chance we’ll never see him play the French Open again.

 

 

The 37-year-old suffered just his fourth loss in 116 career matches at the French Open, and the 14-time champion said afterwards: “The feelings I have are difficult to describe in words. It is difficult for me to talk. Honestly I don’t know if it will be the last time before you all.

“It is a big percentage I will not be back, but the body is feeling a bit better and I’m having fun. Maybe in two months I will say enough, but I hope to be back on this court in two months for the Olympics. That motivates me.

The Spanish legend said he’s unlikely to play Wimbledon in July and will instead focus on the Paris Olympics because it will be played on clay at Roland Garros. Nadal said the rigours of switching to grass for Wimbledon and then back to clay for the Olympics would probably be too demanding on his body.

He has only played Wimbledon once in the last four years – in 2022 when he made the semi-finals but withdrew before the match against Nick Kyrgios due to injury. “It looks difficult, honestly, to make a transition to grass, having the Olympics again on clay,” said Nadal. “I’m booked in Wimbledon because I had to, [but] I don’t think it’s a positive idea right now.

“I need to talk with the team. I need to analyse so many facts. But I don’t think it’s going to be smart after all the things that happened to my body to make a big transition to a completely different surface and then come back to clay.”

Novak Djokovic spotted watching Rafa Nadal at French Open

Such was the hype around the Nadal and Zverev match on Monday that Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek were all spotted in the crowd trying to get a glimpse of Nadal in what was likely his last match at the French Open. Nadal’s wife Xisca and son Rafael Jr were also in attendance, as were other members of the Nadal family.

“I didn’t see them, but I think in some way it’s normal,” Nadal said of his fellow players watching. “I think if that’s the last time that I’m gonna be playing here and if I know that Novak is the last time playing in Wimbledon or in Australia and I was there.

“I mean, these kind of rivals or young players that are here like Carlos that probably they watch me on TV the most of his years that they are living, it’s normal that in some way they are interested to see how this is going to be, and especially in this particular place with all the history that I had behind. I mean, I’m happy that that happens, you know, because that means that I had a positive legacy here and positive legacy for my career.

Rafa Nadal ‘at peace’ if French Open career is over

Nadal, who turns 38 next week, missed most of the 2023 season with a hip issue and his comeback this year was hampered by multiple ailments. The 22-time grand slam champion said he wants to keep playing if he’s still enjoying himself.

 

“My body has been a jungle for two years. You don’t know what to expect. I wake up one day and I find a snake biting me. Another day a tiger,” he joked.

“I’ve been fighting with all the things that I went through. But the dynamic is positive the last few weeks. I felt ready. I think tomorrow I’ll be ready to play again if I have to. But I will not have to. Now, I need to prepare myself, I need to clear my ideas and see what’s the new calendar to try to be ready for Olympics. My main goal now is to play the Olympics. If it’s the last time that I played here, I am at peace with myself.