Roland Garros: Nadal refuses to rule out subsequent return

Rafael Nadal has declined to state that the 2024 season would be his last on tour. 

The 14-time French Open champion faces No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev on Court Philippe-Chatrier in a daunting first-round match at Roland Garros on Monday, with the Spaniard keen to avoid an ignominious early exit at his favourite Slam. 

Nadal’s 2024 is expected to be his swansong, but the 22-time Grand Slam winner has left the door open to featuring subsequently. 

Speaking at a news conference on Saturday, the tennis great did not explicitly agree that the ongoing season would be his final one as a professional tennis player. 

“Don’t assume that,” Nadal said at the news conference. “It’s a big, big chance that it’s going to be my last Roland Garros. But if I have to tell you it’s 100 percent my last Roland Garros? Sorry, but I will not because I cannot predict what’s going on.”

Nadal, beaten just three times at Roland Garros, aims to avoid losing in the first round for the first time.

Monday’s match with Zverev is a repeat of the 2022 semi-final won by the Spaniard after Zverev retired during the second set.