How many times has Nadal lost a match at the French Open?

In the nearly two decades since his tournament debut at the French Open, Rafael Nadal has lost just four matches at Roland Garros, on his way to lifting the men’s singles title a record 14 times.

When were Nadal’s French Open defeats? Who did he lose to?

After winning in Paris at the first attempt in 2005 - beating Argentina’s Mariano Puerta in the final - Nadal remained undefeated in the French capital until four years later. At the 2009 French Open, the Spaniard’s 31-match unbeaten sequence at the event came to an end when he suffered a stunning fourth-round defeat to Robin Söderling. In what was one of the biggest shocks in Tennis History, Nadal went down in four sets to the Swede, who finished the tournament as runner-up to Roger Federer.

Nadal’s next two French Open defeats, which came at six-year intervals after that Söderling upset, were both against fellow tennis great Novak Djokovic. In 2015, Djokovic got the better of Nadal in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, triumphing in straight sets. That victory for the Serb, who went on to lose that year’s final to Stanislas Wawrinka, halted a run of 39 French Open matches without loss for Nadal - a mark that remains a tournament record, across both men’s and women’s tennis.

Between 2016 and 2021, Nadal then embarked on a streak of 35 matches without defeat - the second-longest unbeaten run in French Open History. It was brought to an end when he lost in four sets to Djokovic in the 2021 semi-finals. This was the first time that Nadal had ever lost a match at Roland Garros after winning the first set. Djokovic proceeded to beat Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final in Paris, to win the second of his three French Open titles.

Three years on, Nadal succumbed to the fourth - and potentially final - defeat of his Roland Garros career. In the 2024 first round today, the veteran lost in straight sets to No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev, having had to face the German at this early stage because he was unseeded this year, after slipping to 275th in the world following an injury-hit last couple of seasons. It was the first time that Nadal had not been given a seeding at a grand slam tournament since the Australian Open in 2005.

How many matches has Nadal won at the French Open?

In all, Nadal has won 112 of his 116 matches at the French Open. His defeats to Söderling, Djokovic and Zverev aside, the only other occasion on which he has entered the tournament and failed to win it was in 2016, when a wrist injury forced him to withdraw before his third-round clash with countryman Marcel Granollers.

Full screen

Will this be Nadal’s last French Open?

Given that Nadal has previously indicated that the 2024 season is likely to be the last of his career, the French Open’s organisers had planned a farewell ceremony for the 22-grand slam winner. However, the Spaniard has in recent days suggested he could yet return for another crack at Roland Garros after this year, leading tournament director Amélie Mauresmo to shelve the French Open’s tribute to Nadal - for now.

“As you can imagine, we had something planned for him. But […] because he doesn’t know if it’s going to be his last Roland Garros or not, he wants to leave the door open maybe to come back next year as a player. So we are not going to push him, obviously, to do anything,” Mauresmo said, per AP.

“It’s his decision when he wants to have a proper ceremony, a proper goodbye, a proper farewell. So we’re not going to do it this year. That’s his wish. And even though we were ready to push the button if something happens, we obviously are going to respect what he wants and make sure we are ready whenever he feels he wants to do it. Later this year; next year; anytime he wants.”

Speaking on Saturday, Nadal said: “It’s a big, big chance that it’s going to be my last Roland Garros. But if I have to tell you it’s 100% my last Roland Garros? Sorry, but I will not. Because I cannot predict what’s going on.”

What Nadal say after losing to Zverev?

Interviewed on Court Philippe Chatrier after his three-set defeat to Zverev, Nadal echoed his weekend comments on his future and paid tribute to the fans at Roland Garros. “I don’t know if it’s going to be the last time that I’m here in front of you,” Nadal said. “If it’s the last time, I enjoyed it. The crowd have been amazing during the whole week of preparation, and the feelings I have today I’m unable to describe in words.”