I Thought it Was a Joke

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, May 24, 2024
 
Facing 14-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal on Court Philippe Chatrier is no laughing matter.

Still, when Alexander Zverev was informed he drew Nadal in the French Open first round, he thought it was a joke.

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During his practice session yesterday, Zverev learned the news of his blockbuster showdown vs. Nadal from older brother Mischa.

It was a major “you cannot be serious” moment for the two-time Rome champion.

“I was on court with Rublev yesterday on Chatrier practicing, and then after the practice was over, which was actually a great practice, my brother told me,” Zverev told the media in Paris today. “I actually thought he’s joking (smiling) in the beginning.

“But then, yeah, it is what it is. It is the way it is.”

Empowered by his run to the Rome title on Sunday, Zverev sees his showdown with Nadal as full-circle major moment.

Two years ago, a horrific ankle injury abruptly ended a riveting Roland Garros semifinal with Zverev lying in agony on the red dirt as a mortified Nadal tried to provide support.

Beneath the closed roof of Court Philippe Chatrier, Nadal advanced to his 14th Roland Garros final after Zverev crashed to the court suffering a gruesome right ankle injury that forced him to retire with the Spaniard leading 7-6(8), 6-6.

Three hours, three minutes into a dizzying and dramatic match, Zverev was racing right chasing a running forehand when he rolled his right ankle bending it at a grotesque angle, crashed to the red clay and lay in the dirt wailing in piercing cries while writhing in agony.

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— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 3, 2022

The trainer immediately came out onto court to attend to the fallen German—Nadal came across the net to try to help too—before Zverev was helped to his feet and carted off the court in a wheelchair.

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A philosophical Zverev said he always wanted to face Nadal again, though obviously squaring off against the greatest clay-court champion in history in the Roland Garros first round is not ideal. Nadal has won seven of 10 meetings vs. Zverev.

“I mean, obviously, to be very honest, I wanted to play Rafa again in my career, in his career, because I didn’t want my last memory of me playing against Rafa to be me leaving the court on a wheelchair,” Zverev said. “So ideally, I would have liked to play him in the later stage of the tournament,…