If this fortnight is to be Rafael Nadal’s final act at Roland Garros, and that is no certainty, the King of Clay is proving himself the ultimate showman ahead of Monday’s clash with Alexander Zverev.
The masses swarmed again on Saturday in Paris to watch the 14-time champion practice with Holger Rune, with 10,000 fans crammed into Suzanne Lenglen Stadium to catch a glimpse.
Given the end for Nadal’s great friend and rival Roger Federer came with a whimper, with a knee injury sustained at Wimbledon denying the Swiss a farewell tour aside from a Laver Cup cameo, the Spaniard’s supporters are making sure they enjoy him while they can.
He received a heroes reception in Monte Carlo and the breadth of adoration shown to him in Barcelona, Madrid and Rome leading into Paris has been equally rousing. But the King is not dead yet. Long live the King.
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A press conference on Saturday afternoon was also filled beyond seating capacity, with journalists from around the globe seeking words of wisdom from the 14-time champion.
They were also seeking confirmation that this was the end, but just as Nadal refuses to concede a point until the score is called, he remains reluctant to shelve his Babolat racquets until wringing every last forehand out of himself.
With his movement improving every day and his training sessions against the best demonstrating his furious forehand remains as ferocious as ever, his belief is building.
“As I said, it’s a big, big chance that (this is) going to be my last Roland Garros, but if I have to tell you it’s 100 percent my last Roland Garros, sorry, but I will not, because I cannot predict what’s going on,” he said.
“Myself, I have been going through a long process of recovery with a very difficult injury (and) almost two years of suffering, a recovery process that seems like I feel better now.
“So in some way I don’t want to close the door 100 percent, because (it is) a very simple thing. First thing, I am enjoying playing tennis. Second thing, I am travelling with the family (and) they are enjoying it. I am enjoying sharing all this process with them.
“And third thing, I was not able to explore yet the proper way (with) how I will be able to play (in) more or less healthy conditions, playing without limitations. So give me some time.
“Maybe in one month and a half I say, ‘Ok, It’s enough. I can’t keep going.’ But today … I cannot guarantee that it’s going to be the last one. But, of course, it’s a big chance.”
Zverev prepares for king of clay | 01:05
Nadal could scarcely have drawn a tougher opening round match than against Zverev, the No. 4 seed and champion in the Italian Open last week.
But then again, the German would indisputably rather play any other rival than Nadal on Philippe Chatrier Stadium, the court he has dominated for the last two decades.
Nadal has not been at his best and was well beaten by Hubert Hurkacz in Rome recently.
But he has still won matches since resuming on clay and, if he is moving better and feeling more confident every day, it shapes as a nightmare opener for Zverev.
“I am not anxious. I am focused on trying to play well. That’s it,” Nadal said.
“It’s a super-tough first round. Maybe I will go there and repeat the disaster of Rome. It’s a possibility, of course. I don’t want to hide (from) that.
“But in my mind, (the approach) is to do something different and play much better and give myself a chance to play competitively. Then it’s going to be enough or not.
“I (haven’t) played five-set matches since super long time ago. I didn’t play at this level of opponents being competitive since a super-long time ago.
“So all these questions that I understand that you are (asking) to me, I am asking to myself, too. But the answer is going to be on Monday, no? That’s it.”
Zverev, who was pushing Nadal in a high-class semifinal in Paris two years ago when he badly injured an ankle and was wheeled from the court, is treating the legend warily.
Nadal leads the head-to-head with the former US Open finalist 7-3 and has won five of their six outings on clay, with Zverev getting the better of him in Madrid in 2021.
“Of course I can guarantee you Novak (Djokovic) didn’t want to play Rafa in the first round and (Carlos) Alcaraz didn’t want to play him, Jannik (Sinner) didn’t want to play him,” Zverev said.
“I don’t want to play him in the first round, but it is how it is. He has been out injured. He hasn’t played a lot of tennis. His ranking is where it is. Of course it’s not ideal, but at the same time, you know, there is nothing you can do.
“Everybody now is excited for a tough battle and tough first round. I think he’s excited and I’m excited for it.
“To be very honest, I wanted to play Rafa again in my career, in his career, because I didn’t want my last memory of me playing against Rafa to be me leaving the court on a wheelchair.”
Source Agencies
