Rafael Nadal is leaving the door open for his return to the French Open after his first-round defeat.

(CNN) — In perhaps his final appearance at the French Open, 14-time tournament winner and Roland Garros legend Rafael Nadal was knocked out in the first round by fourth seed Alexander Zverev 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 in three hours and five minutes.

A win for Zverev in straight sets could end one of the greatest love affairs in sports history. Nadal, the “king of clay court”, walked off the Philippe-Chatrier court to thunderous applause befitting his remarkable record in Paris, which now stands at 112-4.

Some of tennis’ biggest stars (and Nadal’s rivals) were in attendance to witness this piece of history; Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek, an avid Nadal fan, were there to watch the Spanish gladiator fight in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

One last chance?

“It’s hard for me to talk,” Nadal said in an on-court interview after the defeat. “I don’t know if this will be the last time I’ll be here in front of you. “I’m not 100% sure, but if this was the last time, then I liked it.”

“The crowd was incredible throughout the week of preparation. The feelings I feel today are difficult to describe in words, but it is especially important for me to feel the love of the people in the place that I love most.”

“The first round was not ideal,” he added of the draw with Zverev. “I was competitive, I had opportunities, but it was not enough against such a great player as Sasha. It’s hard for me to say what will happen in the future.

“There is a high probability that I will not play here again at Roland Garros, but I really enjoyed it. “I’m traveling with my family, I’m having fun, and my body feels a little better than it did two months ago.”

Nadal, who added that he hopes to return to Chatrier for the Summer Olympics, has battled injury since the 2023 Australian Open and was forced to miss much of last season as he tried to prepare his body for the final round this year.

But Eurosport pundit and two-time Roland Garros finalist Alex Corretia said Nadal last week told him his body was pain-free for the first time in two years, prompting him to consider returning next season.

It’s clear that the French Open holds a special place in Nadal’s heart. The 37-year-old has done everything in his power to ensure he is fit not only to play, but to compete at the highest level.

Of course, he did this at times during his loss to Zverev. Early in the third set, a pair of forehand winners hit the line, prompting a deafening roar from the crowd that nearly blew Chatrier’s retractable roof off.

Even in the second set, Nadal found an early break on his serve as the momentum seemed to change after the German took the first, but he was unable to maintain that level and Zverev fought back to take the set in a tiebreaker.

There was a chance the tide would change again at 2-2 in the third when Nadal played a grueling 12 minutes of service and defended four break points but Zverev broke the Spaniard’s next serve.

Even in the face of defeat, Nadal, known for his tenacity and courage, never stopped fighting every shot, raising his fist to the crowd every time he won a point.

However, in the end, Zverev turned out to be too good. One of his shots was so good that Nadal could do nothing but applaud as he passed him.

Perhaps if I were 10 years younger, I would have caught up with her.

“When I was a kid, I never imagined I’d be here at almost 28 (years old) – 38, I wish I was 28,” he said to laughter from the crowd.

“I couldn’t dream about it. It was a beautiful process, all the memories were different, but still special. The feelings you give me here are unforgettable, thank you very much from the bottom of my heart.”