Alexander Zverev prevented Nadal’s feat in Paris | ATP Tour

2024

Zverev prevented Nadal’s feat in Paris

He is the third player to beat the Spaniard in his 116 matches at Roland Garros.

May 27, 2024

Alexander Zverev this Monday managed to add his name to one of perhaps the most selected lists in the history of the sport: the one that unites the few players who were able to defeat Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros.

The No. 4 seed beat the Spaniard in the first round 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 in three hours and four minutes. With this result, Zverev is one of only three players to beat Nadal at a Grand Slam on clay in his 116 career matches (112-4).

Three players who beat Nadal at Roland Garros:

Year	Round	Rival	Result
year 2009	P16	Robin Soderling	6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-6(2)
2015	K.F.	Novak Djokovic	7-5, 6-3, 6-1
2021	S.F.	Novak Djokovic	3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2
2024	R128	Alexander Zverev	6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3

The Spaniard’s protected ranking status meant that the fourteen-time Paris champion had to start his participation this season as a seed. Waiting for him on the other side of the bracket was not only the fourth seed, but also the recent champion of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome.

And Zverev, playing his 40th match of the year, added his seventh consecutive victory on the surface (12-3 for the entire clay tour), closing the Lexus ATP Head2Head gap to Manacori (7-4).

The memory of the last duel was still fresh in his memory. This also happened in Paris, although in the semi-finals. Nadal then won his final Musketeers Cup while the German suffered the most serious injury of his career when he tore ligaments in his right ankle midway through the match at 7-6(8), 6-6 on the hand.

(AS WELL AS)

This time the scenario was completely different. Nadal was trying to prevent back-to-back clay-court losses for the first time this season against an opponent at the top of his game.

And he showed it as soon as the match started with an empty break, with which he opened the first gap (2-0). 78% of first serve points and another break in the ninth game helped Zverev level the opening set 6-3.

The horizon did not look promising for the Balearic player, who, in addition to surrendering the first set, found himself in the fourth game of the second set with an obligation to save two break points at 3-6, 1-2, 15/40. . This was a turning point. He escaped danger, scoring 12 of the next 15 points to take the lead (4-2) for the first time.

Nadal had a chance to end the second set with his serve, but Zverev once again showed his great form and confidence by once again returning the break to make it 5-5. Thus, a tie-break was reached, where several mistakes by the Spaniard tipped the scales in favor of the German.

Just when everything seemed settled and Zverev once again threatened the Spaniard at 15/40 in the first game of the third set, Nadal raised the bar again. He maintained his serve and was 0/40 behind the rest. He was not going to give up so quickly and converted the break on the third chance (2-0).

He was clinging to small opportunities to stay alive in the match, but the German stepped up again. Knowing that he was in front of him and couldn’t take his foot off the gas pedal, he stepped on it again to reach top speed on the way to the second lap, with partial participation in six games out of a possible seven.

Zverev will now face the winner of the match, which brings together local guest and recent Lyon champion Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Belgian David Goffin.

Did you know…?

The Spaniard took part in Roland Garros for the nineteenth time and was unseeded for the first time.