The 38-year-old Rafael Nadal, who officially retired from professional tennis last November, was honoured in an unforgettable tribute at Roland Garros
Rafael Nadal with his son at the Roland Garros ceremony on Monday (Pic: @thetennisletter/X)
Rafael Nadal received an emotional and thunderous farewell as the 'King of Clay' walked onto Court Philippe Chatrier for the final time on Sunday, during a memorable ceremony celebrating his extraordinary legacy at the French Open.
The 38-year-old, who officially retired from professional tennis last November, was honoured in an unforgettable tribute at Roland Garros. Fans in the stands wore coordinated t-shirts in various colors, forming the message ‘14 RG, Rafa’, a fitting salute to his unparalleled dominance on the Parisian clay.
Since his triumphant debut in 2005 as a teenager, Nadal made the French Open his personal kingdom, winning the tournament a record 14 times. The Spaniard retires with an astonishing 112-4 win-loss record at the Grand Slam, cementing his place in history. His last title came in 2022, while his final match at Roland Garros took place in 2024, where he was defeated in the opening round by Alexander Zverev.
Adding to the emotional weight of the occasion, Nadal’s long-time rivals, Novak Djokovic, who had just clinched his 100th ATP title the previous day, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray, joined him on the court after his speech. As the trio emerged to greet their fellow legend, the stadium erupted into a deafening ovation, echoing the collective admiration of the tennis world.
In a heartwarming moment that captured the essence of the evening, Nadal’s young son engaged playfully with Djokovic, Federer, and Murray. The toddler delighted the crowd by toddling between the greats, exchanging high-fives and pats, bringing laughter and smiles to the otherwise emotional setting with his pure, innocent joy.
Big 4 ❌
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 25, 2025
Big 5 🤝#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/g5ldA2U45b
Nadal officially retired after the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, missing the chance to bid farewell to his Paris fans in the way he had hoped. To honor his legacy, the French Tennis Federation presented him with a special trophy and a permanent tribute, his footprint embedded in the clay of Court Philippe Chatrier.
"I didn't know anything about the ceremony," Nadal said. "Only thing that I knew before going there was going to be video when I go on, then gonna be my speech, and then gonna be a couple of surprises. "Then when I see that, I thought it was going to be just for this year. Knowing that's going to be forever there, it's a present that I can't describe in words."
Although Nadal received a farewell after his final Davis Cup appearance, French Tennis Federation President Gilles Moretton had previously stated, “the tribute was not, in my opinion, what it should have been.” Sunday’s grand celebration, however, served as the perfect curtain call for one of tennis’s greatest icons.
(With AFP inputs)
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