"Even if he's not the favourite, Rafael Nadal can perfectly win" - Daniil Medvedev on Spaniard's chances against Alexander Zverev in French Open 1R

Daniil Medvedev has weighed in with his opinion on the upcoming first-round match between Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev at the French Open. The Russian shared his thoughts on the highly-anticipated encounter after playing a practice match against the Spaniard at Roland Garros.

Nadal, the record 14-time French Open champion, featured in both the Madrid Open and the Italian Open in the buildup to the year's second Major. In Madrid, the 22-time Grand Slam champion reached the fourth round after some encouraging displays against Darwin Blanch, Alex de Minaur, and Pedro Cachin. However, his run at the ATP Masters 1000 event was cut short by Jiri Lehecka in the Round of 16.

At the Italian Open, Nadal got past first-round opponent Zizou Bergs after coming back from a set down. However, against Hubert Hurkacz in the next round, the Spaniard struggled, eventually losing the match 1-6, 3-6. Meanwhile, Zverev is in red-hot form, having won his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title at the Italian Open and becoming the new World No. 4.

While rankings and form suggest that Zverev stands a far better chance of progressing to the second round at the French Open compared to Nadal, Medvedev believes that it's a tight match to predict.

The Russian said that the Spaniard came out on top against him in the practice match they played. According to Medvedev, Nadal gave a better account of himself during the practice match than he did at the Madrid Open and the Italian Open.

"Honestly, he played well. We didn't play five sets, but he played well, better than in Rome or Madrid. I didn't feel like I was wrong. We played a set and then some and he beat me," Medvedev said during a press conference (via Puntodebreak).

The World No. 5 also cited Nadal's illustrious history at Roland Garros as he assessed the Spaniard's chances of winning against Zverev.

"It will be interesting for me to see how he plays against Zverev because Rafa will always be Rafa. He has won here 14 times and until he plays here and maybe even if he is not the favorite, he can perfectly win," Medvedev added.

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Alexander Zverev's 2022 French Open horror marked the end of his last meeting against Rafael Nadal

Alexander Zverev after suffering an ankle injury during his 2022 French Open semifinal match against Rafael Nadal

In the semifinals of the 2022 French Open, Zverev squared off against Nadal. A win for the German on that occasion would have not only seen him reach the final, but also become the World No. 1 for the first time in his career.

Unfortunately, during a hotly-contested point at the beginning of the second set tiebreak, Zverev rolled his ankle and let out agony-filled screams. Unable to continue, the German retired, leaving his maiden Grand Slam and World No. 1 aspirations in tatters.

After a remarkable return in 2023 that saw him break back into the top 10, circumstances now favor Zverev to add an elusive Major to the 22 ATP Tour titles he has already won so far. However, the World No. 4 would be wary of Nadal despite the latter's form and fitness struggles, as he trails the Spaniard 3-7 in their ATP Tour head-to-head.