Rafa Nadal emotional as he fears he played last French Open match after dominating clay for a generation

The King of Clay bids farewell to Roland Garros, after losing his opening match in straight sets, fearing the end is near after 19 years of dominating the French Open.

Rafael Nadal has signalled the end is now near. After a near 20-year career at the top, the Spaniard told his favourite French crowd at his favourite event at Roland Garros “I really hope to see you again, but I don’t know.”.

Nadal had just lost his opening match in straight sets – only the fourth loss of his career at the French Open – to the inform Alexander Zverev on Monday but the scoreline belied the intensity and quality of the match, particularly in the second set 6-3 7-6 6-3.

But for the King of Clay, this could be his last appearance at the event he has called his own for more than a generation.

Nadal said it was emotionally difficult to talk, having battled injuries for two years, and knowing that his body was not quite matching his ambition.

He slipped up at one point in the post match interview: “I never could imagine I would be here, 28, oh no, at 38-years-old, I would love to be 28’’ at which the crowd and the stars in his box all laughed, and some like his sister, Maria Isabel, cried.

There was his wife Maria Francisca Perello who only rarely appears courtside, holding their baby boy, Rafael Junior who was clutching a mini-racquet. Also in the box were other tennis stars Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek along with footballer Rodri, and Nadal’s uncle and former coach, Toni.

Nadal's wife Xisca Perello and their son, Nadal's father Sebastian Nadal (R) leave the court after Spain's Rafael Nadal lost against Germany's Alexander Zverev.

Everyone could sense this was an historic moment. The French open organisers had planned a farewell montage, but mothballed it at Nadal’s request.

He said: “I don’t know if it’s the last time I will be here, not 100 per cent sure … the feelings I have today are difficult to describe in words, but have felt the love of the people in the place that I love the most’’.

His record at the event is legendary with 112 wins and just four losses, securing 14 titles. Statisticians salivate at his French Open winning streaks: three times notching up more than 30 victories on the trot.

Nadal admitted that there was a “big percentage’’ that he will not be back playing Roland Garros, although he hopes to back on the same court for the Paris Olympics in two months time.

Rafael Nadal waves to the crowd at Roland Garros.

Nadal acknowledges the crowd.

“That motivates me, that’s going to be another chance, I hope to be well prepared,’’ he said.

But knowing that the Olympics, if he can keep his injuries at bay, may be his last effort, Nadal took time to thank all of the supporters, his team, his friends and everyone who had made his time at the French Open so “unforgettable”.

He added, with tears welling: “I really hope to see you again, but I don’t know. Merci beaucoup’’

And with that he walked off, slinging his bag over his shoulder to give the crowd a final wave with both hands, just as a beam of late afternoon sun cut through onto the court.