"If it's the last time, I've enjoyed it," confessed an emotional Rafael Nadal to the Roland Garros crowd after losing in the first round to German Alexander Zverev in three sets.

"It's hard for me to speak, I don't know if it will be the last time I'll be here in front of all of you," said a very emotional Nadal amid the applause of the crowd, which broke a record today by filling the main court (15,225 tickets) for a first-round match.

The occasion was significant, as it could be the farewell of the man who has broken all records in the only clay-court Grand Slam, with 14 individual titles.

The moment was so special that the organizers gave him the microphone to address the audience after the match, something very unusual for the defeated, amid cheers and chants of "Rafa, Rafa!"

The Spanish tennis player told the devoted crowd that there is a "good chance" he "won't" play at Roland Garros again, but he "can't say 100 percent."

"Maybe in two months, I'll say it's enough," although "I don't feel that way yet," the Spanish star pointed out.

In any case, he did express his desire to return to Paris this year for another very special competition. "I want to come back to this court for the Olympic Games," he said amid the ovations.

Nadal explained that after two "very tough" years in terms of injuries, he had the dream of returning to Roland Garros but acknowledged that "it wasn't enough against a player like (German) Sasha" Zverev, currently ranked number 4 in the world.

"I have to congratulate Sasha for this great match," he said about his opponent, to whom he wished "the best for the rest of the tournament."

Rafael Nadal, about to turn 38, and who won his first Roland Garros at just 19 in 2005, bid farewell to his loyal Parisian audience with words of gratitude for the affection he has received at a tournament that considers him one of its greatest idols.

"The feelings I've had here have been truly unforgettable. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," expressed Nadal, his voice very emotional.