Coco Gauff is heartbroken over Rafa Nadal: I would have cried

She beat Julia Avdeeva in the first round

Coco Gauff was deeply moved by Rafael Nadal’s farewell speech at the French Open 2024. The 22-time Grand Slam champion left the court with a sense of pride, hinting at the possibility that this might have been his final match. Gauff recently shared her experience of witnessing the emotional moment.

After her victory over Julia Avdeeva in the first round, Gauff reflected on seeing Nadal walk off the court with dignity and hope.

While she is focused on advancing in the tournament, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of heartbreak witnessing Nadal’s potential goodbye to Roland Garros.

“I think, well for me if I like literally didn’t have to play I would have probably been there,” she told Tennis Channel.

“I saw Serena’s one of her last matches and then uh the goal was to you know see Rafa’s but they put me at the same time.

“I was watching it like in the press room but like in an office and we were just watching the speech. Luckily, he didn’t cry I think if he cried, I would have cried. I was getting a little bit emotional cuz it’s like literally all I’ve ever known my whole life is him winning here.”

The match between Nadal and Alexander Zverev was a significant event, with top players such as Iga Swiatek, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic watching intently, showing their respect for the Spanish legend.

Uncertain future
Initially, Nadal had made it clear that he did not intend for this French Open to be his last. However, his speech after the match hinted at a change of heart, suggesting that he might be considering retirement.