The 2024 French Open was supposed to be a swan song for Rafael Nadal. Unfortunately, Rafa and his fans are not able to catch a break in 2024. As the draws went live, the 14-time champion will face the two-time victor of the Italian Open, Alexander Zverev. Novak Djokovic, on the other hand, escapes a scare in the earlier rounds as two thorns in his side will not show up until much later.

Good news for the Djoker and his followers, and just as much of a difficult time for Rafa. The Spanish bull built up his comeback around the prospect of winning the French Open one last time. His return in 2024 was not one anyone hoped for, but injuries plagued him once again, and he fell earlier in the clay swing.  He will likely meet the same fate once again, as he will play Alexander Zverev in the first round of the tournament.

If, by some miracle, Rafa beats Zverev, he has the possibility of facing Karen Khachanov, Holger Rune, Alex De Minaur or Daniil Medvedev. The Spaniard has shown abilities which have trumped all of these players, but luck is not on his side this season. Elsewhere on the table, Novak Djokovic, who is looking to improve his form this season, escaped some of the top seeds.

Until the semifinals, he will not meet Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, or Stefanos Tsitsipas, a path Nadal fans likely wanted for their favorite. While the challenge of Zverev in round 1 is already a nightmare, Rafa’s recent comments on his health create an even bigger concern for the Spaniard.

Rafael Nadal opens up on ‘things to solve’ as physical issues persist going into Roland Garros

In a recent interview with Movistar, Nadal disclosed the reason for his absence from the court since January: a chronic abdominal condition. “Many people have mental problems, and I also have them when in my work I can’t manage to fight for my goals, but, no, it’s physical, I have abdominal problems since I returned from Australia.”

He further dove into the challenges that have plagued his attempt to return to 100%. “My body won’t let me. It’s getting difficult for me. It’s been a difficult year and a half. I’m trying every day. I have things to solve, and the reality is that at the moment I’m not being able to put myself in a position to compete. It’s hard.”

With each passing day, we come closer to Rafa’s final stint on the clay. However, his grand farewell to the tournament will likely end earlier than most would want to see. What do you think? Can he overcome the German?