Nadal v Zverev: Head-to-head, statistics, everything you need to know about their rivalry – updated after 2024 Roland-Garros first-round encounter

Details of past head-to-head meetings, statistics, and other important information about the Rafael Nadal v Alexander Zverev rivalry.

Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev (Aurelien Morissard/Panoramic)

Ricky Dimon

May 27, 2024

NADAL v ZVEREV: THE HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD

Rafael Nadal and Alexander squared off in the first round of the 2024 French Open. With Nadal coming back from injury and unseeded for the season’s second Grand Slam at No 276 in the rankings, the Spaniard was always going to be at the mercy of the draw. Sure enough, Thursday’s draw ceremony was not kind to Nadal — nor to Zverev.

It was their 11th meeting and second at Roland-Garros. Nadal leads the head-to-head series after infamously getting a retirement from Zverev due to a nasty ankle injury in the 2022 semi-finals in Paris. Nadal led 7-6(8), 6-6 when it ended.

In 2024, Zverev gained revenge for that loss, beating Nadal 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 to hand the Spaniard just his fourth loss in 116 matches at Roland-Garros.

List of their head to head matches: Nadal leads 7-4

2024 French Open first round: Zverev 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3
2022 French Open semi-finals: Nadal 7-6(6), 6-6, ret.
2021 Rome quarter-finals: Nadal 6-3, 6-4
2021 Madrid quarter-finals: Zverev 6-4, 6-4
2020 Paris semi-finals: Zverev 6-4, 7-5

2019 Nitto ATP Finals: Zverev 6-2, 6-4
2018 Rome final: Nadal 6-1, 1-6, 6-3
2018 Davis Cup quarter-finals: Nadal 6-1, 6-4, 6-4
2017 Monte-Carlo third round: Nadal 6-1, 6-1
2017 Australian Open third round: Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2
2016 Indian Wells fourth round: Nadal 6-7(8), 6-0, 7-5

On outdoor hard courts, Nadal leads 2-0.
On clay, Nadal leads 5-2.
Indoors, Zverev leads 2-0.

WHAT ARE THE OVERALL STATISTICS FOR NADAL AND ZVEREV?

Ten years Zverev’s senior, Nadal obviously has far superior overall statistics. In fact, only two players in the history of tennis (Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer) can compare with the King of Clay.

Rafael Nadal has won 92 ATP titles in his career as of May 27, 2024, which break down as follows:

Grand Slams: 22

Masters 1000: 36
ATP 500: 23
ATP 250: 10
Olympic Gold Medal: 1

Nadal has also lost 38 finals in his career, including eight in Grand Slams.

In his very first Grand Slam final, Rafael Nadal did not collapse after losing the first set in the tiebreak to Mariano Puerta. The Mallorcan turned the tide and won in four sets, and took his first bite of the Coupe des Mousquetaires.

Alexander Zverev has won 22 ATP titles in his career as of May 27, 2024, which break down as follows:

Nitto ATP Finals: 2
Masters 1000: 6
ATP 500: 5
ATP 250: 8
Olympic Gold Medal: 1

Zverev has also lost 11 finals in his career, including one in a Grand Slam (to Dominic Thiem in five sets at the 2020 US Open).

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST NADAL V ZVEREV MATCH?

2017 Australian Open third round

At Melbourne Park in 2017, Nadal would reach the final before losing to Roger Federer in five sets. It may be forgotten that Nadal came close to exiting the tournament in the third round. Zverev had the Spaniard on the ropes after taking a two sets to one lead by winning a third-set tiebreak, but the underdog could not get across the finish line. Nadal ended up prevailing after four hours and six minutes.

They have played two other memorable matches. Zverev had a match point in their first-ever showdown at the 2016 Indian Wells Masters and infamously missed a sitting forehand volley in the net. Six years later, their French Open semi-final contest had the makings of an instant classic prior to Zverev’s retirement in the second-set tiebreak.

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE NADAL AND ZVEREV PLAYED EACH OTHER IN A GRAND SLAM EVENT?

Nadal has won each of their two Grand Slam meetings, but both were competitive. He won in five sets at the 2017 Australian Open and via second-set retirement at the 2022 French Open.