Nadal admits Zverev defeat 'step back' but positive as Roland Garros nears Issued on: 07/05/2021 - 23:18 Rafael Nadal was beaten by Alexander Zverev at the Caja Magica in Madrid on Friday. GABRIEL BOUYS AFP 4 min Madrid (AFP) Rafael Nadal admitted his 6-4, 6-4 loss to Germany's Alexander Zverev in the Madrid Open quarter-finals on Friday was a "step back" but insisted there were plenty of positives as he plots his way to a 14th Roland Garros title. Nadal has now fallen early in two clay-court Masters tournaments ahead of the Grand Slam in Paris, after going out in the Monte Carlo quarter-finals last month before winning in Barcelona.