Nadal to face Zverev at French Open in what could be his last French Open

In what could be his last appearance at the French Open, 14-time champion Rafael Nadal faces a tough task on Monday to avoid being knocked out in the first round when he takes on Alexander Zverev.

Nadal has announced this could be his final season as a professional, but arriving in Paris the Spaniard said he was not yet sure if he was ready to quit Roland Garros.

Nadal missed last year’s tournament due to injury, and he and his fans are eager to make the most of this comeback, but standing in his way is fourth seed German Alexander Zverev, who just won the Italian Open.

“The first match wasn’t ideal because I felt it was more competitive later in the tournament, but it is what it is,” Nadal said.

“I need to be ready from the beginning. We’ll see.”

The meeting will bring back very different memories for both players from the last time they met, in the 2022 French Open semifinals, when Nadal won another title in Paris, the last of his 22 Grand Slam triumphs.

Zverev was forced to withdraw from that tournament with an ankle injury. He underwent surgery and missed the rest of the season with another injury, but he returned last year and reached his third consecutive French Open semifinal.

With other top players like Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz having been plagued by injuries recently, this could be Zverev’s chance to finally win a Grand Slam.

The German might not have wanted to play Nadal this early in the tournament, but he welcomes the opportunity to play him again.

“I really want to play him here. I don’t want to play him in the first round. I want to play him in the semifinals, finals and late stages of tournaments,” Zverev said.

“But at the end of the day, he wasn’t seeded, it is what it is, and I think we were all prepared for a tough battle.”

World number two Sinner returns to the Italian Open after missing it due to a hip injury sustained at the Madrid Open, where he will face American Christopher Eubanks.

Iga Swiatek will face French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean in the title match, with the Polish world number one coming to Paris after winning titles in Madrid and Rome.

American third seed Coco Gauff will face 21-year-old qualifier Julia Avdeeva, the Russian making her Grand Slam debut.