Eyes strained as pleasure constructed over the place Nadal’s identify would seem on the LED display screen at Thursday’s draw ceremony.
Murmurs got here from the viewers when Nadal appeared subsequent to a clean area reserved for a seed. Shocked gasps adopted when Zverev was plucked out to fill the hole.
Nadal missed final yr’s event for the primary time in 19 years after a torrid time with accidents however is match sufficient to return this yr underneath a protected rating.
The dearth of matches over the previous 18 months has seen Nadal drop to 276th on the planet, leaving the previous primary unseeded at Roland Garros for the primary time.
That left Nadal susceptible to the potential for dealing with a high-ranked participant. Touchdown Zverev – lengthy one of many main gamers on tour, adept on clay and in type – was about as dangerous because it might get.
Murray has additionally been handed an attention-grabbing attract what seems like a becoming event – and regardless of profitable simply six video games of their 2020 match, he may not essentially worry Wawrinka.
Murray and Wawrinka as soon as sparred for the largest prizes and met within the 2017 Roland Garros semi-finals, a brutal match which exacerbated the career-changing hip damage which the Scot later wanted surgical procedures on.
Wawrinka, 39, can also be a three-time main champion like Murray, however the Swiss has not gained back-to-back tour-level matches for the reason that US Open in August.
Murray has not performed a lot, although. He managed to keep away from surgical procedure on ruptured ankle ligaments with a purpose to return to Roland Garros and solely has three matches underneath his belt since Miami in March – dropping twice.