Rafael Nadal is back at Roland Garros once again, but there is a twist to the story. Nadal, who holds the 276th rank in the ATP and is currently unseeded, will have to face Alexander Zverev in the first round. This draw has sparked various opinions from fans and professionals alike, including Coco Gauff’s coach, Brad Gilbert.
Gilbert took to his official X account to voice his concerns, stating, “If you are not seeded, you can play anyone of the other 127 players in the draw 1st rd, the tournament could have chosen to seed Vamos-Rafa but hardly ever change the seeds here to my knowledge, this is how a random draw comes out for better or worse.”
Nadal, the King of Clay, has seen a significant drop in his ranking due to constant struggles with hip injuries and muscle tears, keeping him away from tennis for most of last year. As a result, despite being a 14-time French Open champion, Nadal remains unseeded for this tournament. Only the 32 highest-ranked players receive seeding, meaning Nadal faces tough opponents from the start, including World No. 4 Alexander Zverev.
Gilbert believes this situation should be handled differently. He suggests that Nadal should be given a chance to be seeded instead of relying on a random draw. This is not unprecedented, as a similar situation occurred in 2022 when Nadal, despite a lower ranking due to injuries, went on to win the trophy.
The French Open tournament director, Gilbert Ysern, previously commented on the issue, stating, “Today, it is his sporting level, it seems, which has fallen. He is not hampered. So, we will not adjust the seedings in his favor.” Despite the challenging draw, Nadal remains hopeful about his French Open run this season.
As Nadal prepares for what might be his last French Open, the debate continues on whether exceptional players like him should be granted seeding considerations based on their past achievements and unique circumstances.
Rafael Nadal in 2024
Currently ranked no.276, Rafael played his last match on the 11th of May when he was overcome by world no.8 Hubert Hurkacz 6-1 6-3 in the 2nd round in Rome (draw).
At present, during this year the Spaniard owns an overall 7-4 record.
Rafael Nadal will come up against the world no.4 Alexander Zverev in the 1st round. Their actual record is 7-3 for Nadal.
The Spaniard won 92 titles in his career: 24 on hard courts, 63 on clay courts, 1 on indoor courts and 4 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
He is also scheduled to play at the French Open (French Open) on the 26th of May and () on the 1st of July.
Coco Gauff in 2024
Now the world no.3 (career-high), Coco played her last match on the 16th of May when she was defeated by world no.1 Iga Swiatek 6-4 6-3 in the semifinal in Rome (draw).
At the moment, during this season Coco owns a composed 25-8 match record. Coco has won 1 title in Auckland.
Gauff clinched 1 title in 2024 in Auckland.
Coco won 7 titles in her career: 5 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts and 1 on indoor courts. (See the list of her titles)
Gauff is scheduled to compete next at the French Open (French Open). She will start to play the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 26th of May.
Rafael Nadal and Coco Gauff |
| Embed from Getty Images |