PARIS, France (AFP) — Alexander Zverev expects to face “peak Rafael Nadal” in their mouth-watering French Open duel as he prepares to deliver a heartbreaking final blow to the 14-time champion’s storied Roland Garros career.

Zverev, the world No. 4 from Germany, has been handed the first round draw that nobody wanted as 22-time Grand Slam title winner Nadal prepares to play the tournament for the final time.

“In my mind, I’m going to play peak Rafa Nadal. That’s what I expect him to be. I expect him to be at his absolute best,” Zverev told reporters ahead of Monday’s clash.

“I expect him to play the best tennis he’s played in a long time on this court.”

Nadal holds a 7-3 winning record over the in-form German, winning five of their six meetings on clay.

One of those came in Paris two years ago when Zverev was forced to retire from their semifinal after suffering a horrific ankle injury which kept him sidelined until January last year.

Zverev is still finding his form after that injury and won his first Masters 1000 since 2021 last week at the Rome Open.

“He’s going to finish his career probably before mine,” the 27-year-old Zverev of his Spanish rival, who turns 38 on 3 June, said.

“I really wanted to play him one more time because I didn’t want my last memory to be me rolling off in a wheelchair off Court Philippe Chatrier. I really wanted to play against him here.”

He added: “I didn’t want to play him in the first round. I wanted to play him in the semifinals, final, a later stage of the tournament. But at the end of the day, he’s not seeded, it is how it is, and I think we’re both prepared for a tough battle.”