In Paris, an intense showdown took place. - Zverev's win triggers Nadal's retirement.
Tennis player Alexander Zverev (27) comes out victorious in a nail-biting first round at the French Open, beating renowned tennis professional Rafael Nadal (37) 6:3, 7:6 (7:5), 6:3 on Court Philippe Chatrier. Previously, the two faced off in the semifinals two years ago.
Visibly shaken, Zverev shows appreciation, "Thank you, Rafa, on behalf of the entire tennis universe! It's such an honor! As a child, I admired you and was able to play against you. This isn't my moment, it's yours."
After his injury, Zverev became unable to play for seven months, and before this match, he expressed his desire to meet Nadal again without his last memory involving him being carried out on a wheelchair.
Seeking to end one of the legendary player's journey, Zverev succeeds in doing so while on the very same court where Nadal won 14 times and achieved 22 Grand Slam titles.
Some of the biggest names in the game congregated to witness it live in the stadium: World number one Novak Djokovic (27), Carlos Alcaraz (21) in a format, and Iga Swiatek (22), finest female player, all showing their respect.
Nadal's entry onto the court brings about massive anticipation with loud cheers and cries of "Rafa, Rafa," from the 15,000 strong audience present.
Zverev seizes the momentum by winning Nadal's first service game effortlessly. A former world number one, now ranked 275 due to numerous injuries, Nadal continues to be a fan favorite on the clay courts.
A victorious shout emerges from the crowd as Nadal earns his first service game, but fails to win the first set, which closes 3:6. Nevertheless, he refuses to give in to defeat.
In the second set, Zverev squanders two opportunities for an early break and loses his service game to fall behind 2:3 instead of 4:1. A host of unforced errors in his play frustrated him.
Nadal's enthusiasm remains fervent, cheering every point and raising the crowd from their seats. Despite a lessened speed and precision in his shots, he still exudes the same intensity.
Zverev stages a stellar comeback and wins the tiebreaker, missing out on maintaining the form he displayed during the Rome Masters championship. Errors continue to pile up, leading to head-shaking.
The odds are seemingly insurmountable as Zverev goes 0:2 down in the third set. Unrelenting, Nadal steps up his game and fights back, leaving his fan base in awe. Unfortunately for him, Zverev emerges as the winner, triumphing over him after 3 hours and 4 minutes. Despite being the defeated player, Zverev received the majority of the adulation.
In the end, it was the underdog's moment. The spotlight belonged to him despite losing to an icon of the game.
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Source: symclub.org