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Fans’ tears flow as Nadal bows out of ‘last’ French Open

From Australia, China and the US, Rafael Nadal fans descended on a chilly and damp Roland Garros on Monday, hoping to inspire their "superhero" to victory at what was most likely his last French Open.

Published: 28 May 2024 09:20 CEST
Fans' tears flow as Nadal bows out of 'last' French Open
Spain's Rafael Nadal gestures as he leaves the court after losing against Germany's Alexander Zverev in their men's singles match on Court Philippe-Chatrier on day two of The French Open tennis tournament at The Roland Garros Complex in Paris on May 27, 2024. (Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP)

In the end, however, many were reduced to tears as the 14-time champion slumped to a straight-sets defeat to Alexander Zverev in the first round, likely signalling the end of the 38-year-old’s Grand Slam adventure in Paris.

“Personally, I’m very sad, he’s Rafa, a legend,” Mateo Castro, a 41-year-old French fan, told AFP with tears in his eyes. “It’s hard to see him go.”

Michael Lundell, another Nadal fan who had travelled from Genoa to Paris to watch the match, was also in tears.

“I was crying, because I don’t think there has ever been another role model like him before in sports,” said the 43-year-old.

“It was a great match, I saw Rafael Nadal with an exceptional level again,” said Gregory Dubus, a 50-year-old French fan.

“I’ve been following Nadal since 2005, his first victory here at Roland Garros, and to see him here, maybe in his last match was exciting.”

Like many fans at Roland Garros on Monday, there was a feeling that they were witnessing the end of an era.

“A player like Rafa, you never want him to retire, he’s a humble player, with an exceptional attitude on the court and in life, nobody wants him to stop,” added Dubus.

Before the start of the match, fans had hailed a player dubbed a “superhero”.

“You always have to keep the faith in Rafa, he will win,” Hazel, a 28-year-old fan who had flown in from China for a second straight year after being left disappointed when Nadal withdrew in 2023, told AFP.

“The most important thing is that he stays healthy,” she said, as she proudly showed the banners she had made with the colours of Spain, Nadal’s face and the message “Welcome back my super hero”.

Before Wednesday, Nadal had only lost three times in 115 matches at the tournament since his title-winning debut as a 19-year-old in 2005.

He said at the weekend that there was a chance this may be his last French Open but insisted he was still keeping the door “100 percent open” on continuing his career.

“You see a lot of ‘Thank you Rafa’ shirts. He’s a monument at this tournament,” said 41-year-old Manolo who has come to Europe from the United States to watch Nadal and then Real Madrid play in the Champions League final in London this Saturday.

He has seen Nadal win at Wimbledon and the US Open as well as Paris but admitted Monday’s clash with world number four Zverev “would be very difficult”.

“I hope he beats Zverev… Rafa is Rafa,” he said.

“It’s possibly the last time he plays here, so we’re very happy to watch him,” said Alsi, a 40-year-old fan living in Australia.

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PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

LISTED: Spain’s medal hopes at the Paris 2024 Olympics

After a big summer of sporting success so far, Spain will be hoping to carry that momentum into the Olympic Games in Paris. These are the Spanish athletes and sports stars to look out for at the Games.

Published: 24 July 2024 10:22 CEST
Updated: 27 July 2024 07:46 CEST
LISTED: Spain's medal hopes at the Paris 2024 Olympics

Spain is heading into the Paris 2024 Olympics with some pretty serious sporting momentum. Not only did the football team just unexpectedly win the Euros with a perfect 7/7 winning record, but tennis star Carlos Alcaraz also won his second successive Wimbledon title on the same day.

READ ALSO: How to watch the Paris 2024 Olympics on TV in Spain

In terms of Olympic success, Spain’s best games so far was in 1992 when Barcelona hosted the games. That year Spain won 22 medals including 13 golds, 7 silvers, and 2 bronzes, a record they haven’t equalled or surpassed yet.

Spain are not historically a track and field powerhouse, nor do they consistently rank among the countries with the most medals at each Games, but they do have amazing sportsmen and women in a very wide variety of sports.

IN DEPTH: Why is Spain so good at sport?

This year’s Olympics could be different for España. So who are Spain’s top sports stars that are expected to deliver at the Paris Games?

Athletics

Spain has a few medal hopefuls in the athletics events, including Jordan Díaz, currently renowned as one of the world’s best triple jumpers, and Mohammad Attaoui, the European championship silver medallist in the 800m earlier this year.

Spanish triple jumper Jordan Alejandro Díaz Fortún won gold at the recent European Athletics Championships in Rome. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP)

Speed walkers María Pérez and Álvaro Martín are also names to keep an eye on, having won four World Championship gold medals between them at Budapest 2023.

Of course, there’s also Galician triple jumper Ana Peleteiro, the only Spanish track and field athlete to win a medal at the Tokyo games and current European champion.

Tennis

Everyone in Spain (and perhaps even the wider tennis world) will be rooting for La Roja in the tennis.

It just feels like it’s meant to be: tennis golden boy Carlos Alcaraz teaming up in the doubles with the game’s elder statesman, one of the greatest players of all time, Rafa Nadal, in what could be his swansong on the international stage.

They’ll be going for gold.

Basketball

Spain’s also got high hopes in the basketball, having won four European and two World Championships over the last few years.

The Spanish basketball national team has arguably been the second best national team in the world in the 21st century, winning back-to-back Olympic silver medals in 2008 and 2012 (they lost to the dominant U.S team, which there’s no shame in) and sandwiched between that they won the FIBA World Cup in 2006.

They also won it in 2019. Stopping the U.S will be tough, but if any country can realistically do it, Spain’s one of them.

Spain’s veteran basketballer Rudy Fernández will be part of the 2024 Olympics team. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP)

Football

Of course, Spaniards will also hope (perhaps expect) that the football teams can continue their momentum into the Olympic games, and Spain seems an obvious candidate for double gold.

The men’s team (which is made up of U-23s plus three senior players) has a safe route semi-final, where they could meet France or Argentina.

The women’s team, which will be made up of senior players (many of whom recently won the World Cup) will also be strong favourites to go deep into the tournament and win a medal.

Spain’s national team are the current Women’s World Cup champions. Photo: Franck Fife/AFP

Golf

Basque golfer Jon Rahm will lead the Spanish team and also be in with a shout of a medal, having been one of the better players on the world tour in recent years. He’s already won a U.S Open title (the first Spaniard to ever do so) and followed it up with a Masters win in 2023.

Basque Jon Rahm is ranked among the best golfers in the world currently. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP)

Swimming

There are also high hopes for Hugo González, the versatile University of California swimmer who has won several collegiate titles in his time in the U.S.

He’s already considered one of the most promising prospects in world swimming, and will be competing in 100m and 200m backstroke, as well as the 200m combined in Paris.

Waterpolo

Spain’s male and female teams will arrive in the French capital with solid medal options after being podium finishers at major international competitions recently.

The men’s team is a strong candidate to win another medal after the gold in Atlanta and the women’s team is hoping to repeat the silver in Tokyo at least.

Badminton

Spain’s Carolina Marín is the best female badminton player in the world. She overcame an almost career-ending ACL injury in 2021 to get back to the top of her game, so a place on the podium is likely.

Marín has won gold and silver at several badminton championships in 2023 and 2024. (Photo by BAY ISMOYO / AFP)

Canoeing

Piragüismo as it’s called in Spanish is the sport that has brought the most Olympic joy to Spain in recent times, both in the sprint and the slalom. Saúl Craviotto is the most successful Spanish Olympic medallist (5) and Maialen Chourraut is a true standard bearer.

Handball

The men’s handball team, which has four Olympic bronze medals to its name, the last in Tokyo, is once again in the running for the podium.

Spain’s men’s handball team won bronze against Egypt at the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo by Franck FIFE / AFP)

Shooting

Fátima Gálvez is emerging as one of the most serious medal hopes of the entire Spanish delegation, as her list of achievements includes numerous medals and European and world titles. Male skeet shooter Alberto Fernández also won this year’s European Championship.

Taekwondo

There are high hopes for Adriana Cerezo, the young woman who won silver in Tokyo at just 17 years old.

Boxing

Spanish boxing has reached the historic milestone of qualifying six boxers for the Games, the highest number since the current system was introduced in Barcelona ’92. They are Enmanuel Reyes Pla (92 kg), José Quiles (57 kg), Ghadfa Drissi (+92 kg), Oier Ibarretxe (63.50 kg), Rafa Lozano (61 kg) and Laura Fernández (50 kg).

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