At the French Open earlier this year there was a sense of Götterdämmerung. No tennis career lasts for ever; even the very greatest eventually tire and retire from the race. But this year it felt as if the last of a generation of titans were leaving the stage. The downing of the indomitable warrior Rafael Nadal, undoubtedly the greatest clay court player of all time, in the first round at the hands of Alexander Zverev was the most striking and poignant example.
The 14-times champion went down fighting, of course, but he lost in straight sets to a ruthless, much younger opponent who had an answer to everything Nadal threw at him. It was Nadal’s fourth loss at Roland Garros against 112 wins.
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