If this was my last appearance at Roland Garros, I enjoyed it. This is what Rafael Nadal said after his loss to Alexander Zverev in three sets at the start of the year's second Grand Slam tournament. The 14-time champion fell to the fourth-seeded German 3-6, 6-7 (5), 3-6.
He fought on the court in his typical style, but was unable to beat the German, who won recently in Rome.
Asked about his future and whether this was his last appearance in Paris, Nadal did not want to be definitive: "It is difficult for me to speak. I don't know if this is my last time in front of you, to be honest. I'm not 100% sure. But if this was my last time, I enjoyed it. The crowd was incredible throughout the whole week of preparation and today. The feelings and emotions I feel today are hard to describe. It's really special for me to feel people's love the way I do, in the place I love the most", he said.
Zverev, for his part, treated his opponent like a gentleman and gave the King of Clay his due. "I don't know what to tell you. Thank you, Rafa, on behalf of everyone in tennis. It's a huge privilege for me. I watched Rafa during my childhood and was lucky enough to play against him twice on this beautiful court when I turned professional. I do not know what to say. Today is not my moment, it's Rafa's moment", shared the German. /BGNES
