Rafael Nadal: John McEnroe criticises French Open over the great Spaniard being unseeded
Tennis icon John McEnroe has asserted that Rafael Nadal being unseeded at the 2024 French Open makes “no sense” after the Spaniard was drawn to face Alexander Zverev in the first round.
The former world No 1 described the tournament’s approach as “crazy” given Nadal is a 14-time winner, while describing the opening round clash as “the most interesting” he can remember at a Major.
Nadal will take on Zverev, the world No 4 and champion at the Italian Open Masters 1000 event earlier this month, in his first match at Roland Garros.
The 37-year-old is using a protected ranking to play the French Open due to his current position of world No 276 and this is the first time he has been unseeded at the clay-court Major. Nadal had not been seeded lower than sixth in his 18 previous Roland Garros appearances.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion’s astonishing record of 14 French Open triumphs is the highest number of titles any player has won at a single Grand Slam event in tennis history.
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McEnroe, a seven-time Major singles champion, argued Nadal’s incredible achievements at Roland Garros warrant him being seeded this year.
“It makes no sense that someone who has won 14 times is not seeded. It is the way the tournament has always acted. For me it is crazy,” the American told the media, as quoted by Marca.
“It is the most interesting first round of a Major that I remember and the most tough [in the] Open Era for someone like Nadal.
“He has to do whatever he wants. He loves to compete and if he loses to Zverev it does not mean that all his records at Roland Garros will be lost. Maybe his time has come to be a father and everyone’s time has come.
“Maybe I’m wrong and he’ll be able to do something special here. It’s a question mark as to how his body will recover as the rounds go by.
“On the one hand it will be a surprise, and on the other it won’t. People like him, Novak or Roger are Superman.”
The 77-time ATP singles titlist also assessed that three-time French Open semi-finalist Zverev is a genuine contender to win the title.
“[Zverev] has a real chance of winning in Paris if he focuses solely and exclusively on tennis and not on other things off the court. I believe that the 2020 US Open should have been his. Sascha’s serve is working better than ever,” McEnroe added.
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