The legendary Nadal expectedly crashed out in the first round of Roland Garros

The legendary Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal exited Roland Garros 2024 after just the first round. The 37-year-old Spaniard predictably lost to the world's fourth-ranked player, Alexander Zverev.

Zverev defeated Nadal in three sets, with the overall match lasting 3 hours and 6 minutes.

In the first set, Zverev capitalized on a break point in the very first game and then did not concede a single game, winning 6-3. Nadal had a chance to win the second set, which extended to a tiebreak, but Zverev still prevailed 7-5. In the deciding set, it was evident that the experienced Nadal lacked physical strength, and he lost 3-6.

Zverev's opponent in the 1/32 finals will be the winner of the match between Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Belgian David Goffin.

Earlier, it was expected that Nadal would retire after Roland Garros. However, after the match, he stated that he still hopes to return to this court to participate in the Olympics.

"Perhaps, in two months, I will say, 'Enough, I can no longer give anything on the court,' but I don't feel that way yet. I have goals; I want to return to this court for the Olympics. Maybe there will be another chance. The impressions I got on this court were incredible. I couldn't even imagine it when I was a child, that I would stand here at 38. It's been a very good journey; all the tournaments were different, but this one, perhaps, is the most special".