"Will be a huge challenge for Rafael Nadal... Also sure Alexander Zverev is not happy" - Former ATP player on duo's blockbuster French Open 1R battle

Former ATP player Arnaud Clement believes Alexander Zverev is going to be a huge challenge for Rafael Nadal. Clement claimed Zverev would emerge the winner between the two but refused to rule out a surprise from the Spaniard.

Fourth seed Zverev was drawn against Nadal and the pair will face off in the first round of the 2024 French Open on May 26. The 37-year-old is inching closer to retirement and the 27-year-old is in great form, coming on the back of a title win at the 2024 Italian Open.

Clement is not sure if Nadal can keep up with the German but considering it is a first-round encounter, the former French player believes anything can happen.

"It will be a huge challenge for Nadal. We don't know whether he will be able to keep up, but we will see in the first round with good preparation and a lot of energy," Clement said (via EuroSport)

"He [Nadal] has now had two weeks longer to prepare. So you never know," he added.

Further, for the sake of everyone, Clement believes it is better that Nadal bows out of the competition with a defeat from one of the favorites of the tournament instead of an unknown player.

"If Nadal is eliminated quickly, it better be against one of the big favorites for the tournament rather than against an unknown player. I'm also sure Zverev is not happy to be drawn against Nadal."

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"Alexander Zverev has never been as strong as he is right now" - Arnaud Clement believes German is the favorite to beat Rafael Nadal

Internazionali BNL D'Italia 2024 - Day Fourteen

Alexander Zverev is fresh off a title run at the Italian Open where he defeated Nicolas Jarry in the final to win his first Masters 1000 title in three years.

Although Arnaud Clement hopes for a surprise, Zverev's current form makes him feel the German is a favorite to win the 2024 French Open first-round encounter against Rafael Nadal.

"Zverev has never been as strong as he is right now. His tennis is more ambitious and aggressive and he takes more initiative than before. We also saw that in Rome when he occasionally looked at the net. That is necessary if he wants to find what he is looking for at Grand Slams," Clement said.

Nadal and Zverev have faced each other 10 times and the Spaniard has a 7-3 lead in their head-to-head record. The last time this pair met was also during the Roland Garros in the semifinal in 2022. Zverev was down 6-7 (8), 6-6 in the match when he suffered a freak injury and had to retire.