"The field would've much preferred Rafael Nadal be seeded" - Tennis journalist on unseeded Spaniard drawing Alexander Zverev in French Open 2024 1R

Rafael Nadal was handed a tough draw at French Open 2024, as he will take on Alexander Zverev in the opening round. The Spaniard should've preferably received a top seeding in Paris according to tennis journalist Jon Wertheim.

Nadal was out of action for most of 2023 due to a serious hip injury. Consequently, his ranking fell well outside the top 200 rankings coming into this year's claycourt Major. The draw gods, however, unfortunately pitted him against the fourth-seeded Zverev in the first round of the French Open.

Against that background, a fan complained on veteran journalist Jon Wertheim's replies on X (formerly Twitter) that the tournament organizers should've given the 22-time Major winner a seeding, considering both his career performance at the tournament and the fact that he will likely hang up his racquet this year.

"As much as I love the French Open, I’m just so ticked they couldn’t have seeded Rafa in what they clearly know is his last year playing," the fan wrote in the replies to one of Jon Wertheim's post.

Wertheim responded by saying that the rest of the men's field wouldn't rejoice at the prospect of facing the Spaniard. He also pointed out some of the flaws of a random draw.

The American did, however, insist that Nadal will have a good chance to go deep in Paris, provided he can fight past the challenge of Zverev.

"Subjective seeding is destined to provoke charges of unfairness, favoritism, diluting the rankings, etc..." Jon Wertheim wrote in his reply to the fan. "The irony here: the rest of the field would have much preferred Nadal be seeded than not... Silver lining: in the off-chance Nadal beats Zverev, his draw yawns wide open...."

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French Open organizers could've given Rafael Nadal a top seeding, believes Coco Gauff's coach Brad Gilbert

Rafael Nadal won his most-recent title at the French Open in 2022

Coco Gauff's coach Brad Gilbert was of the same opinion as Jon Wertheim when it came to the French Open men's singles draw. He wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) handle that the tournament organizers could've perhaps made an exception for the 14-time titlist and given him a top seeding.

"If you are not seeded you can play anyone of the other 127 players in the draw 1st rd, the tournament could have chosen to seed Vamos-Rafa but hardly ever change the seeds here to my knowledge, this is how a random draw comes out for better or worse," Gilbert wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Nadla and Zverev will lock horns for the 11th time when they meet at Roland Garros. The Spaniard currently leads 7-3 in the head-to-head between the two.