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  • Rafael Nadal loses to Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros - The Athletic

    PARIS, France — There will be no magical run, no age- and injury-defying push into the deep end of the competition. Rafael Nadal, who ruled the red clay of Roland Garros as no one ever imagined someone could, exited the French Open for what is likely his final time early Monday evening, showered with an outpouring of love and admiration he earned during a nearly two-decade reign, over a tournament that became as much a part of his identity as anything in sport has for any athlete. Advertisement...

  • Rafael Nadal vs. Alexander Zverev: Who will win, and why, on Day 2 at Roland Garros

    Alexander Zverev vs. Rafael Nadal Zverev and Nadal agree: Roland Garros brings out the best in Rafa. “In some way, this place is magical for me, no?” Nadal says. “So happened a lot of times things that was difficult to imagine.” “He becomes different,” Zverev says. “His ball becomes all of a sudden a few kilometers an hour faster. All of a sudden his footwork and foot speed becomes a lot faster. It’s more difficult to hit a winner, especially on Philippe Chatrier, which is a massive court, so...

  • Roland Garros men's draw: Rafael Nadal's first-round opponent is...Alexander Zverev!

    PARIS—Debates were had, cases were made, matches were contemplated. On T2's Second Serve, Chris Eubanks said that Rafael Nadal—ranked 276th, but the owner of 22 Grand Slam singles titles—should be a Top 16 seed at Roland Garros. Today in Paris, a colleague made the (rather convincing) argument that if you win a tournament 14 times, and get a statue erected for it, you should be seeded no less than No. 1. But although Roland Garros had the right to see Rafa wherever it wanted, it elected not...