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Rafael Nadal received a heartfelt tribute at Roland Garros, marking his farewell to the tournament where he won a record 14 titles. A moving montage of his iconic moments brought the 'King of Clay' to tears, reflecting on his two-decade reign.
Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal received a rousing reception at the Court Philippe Chatrier as he made his emotional return to Roland Garros for his farewell event amid the ongoing French Open 2025 on Sunday, May 25.
The Roland Garros has honoured the legendary tennis player Rafael Nadal with a special on-court ceremony. The 38-year-old, who retired from his illustrious tennis career, after Spainâs defeat at the Davis Cup last year, dominated the French Open for two decades, winning 14 titles, a record for the most titles at a single Grand Slam tournament.
Rafael Nadal is called âKing of Clayâ for his sheer dominance on the clay court for two decades, having amassed an unparalleled 14 French Open titles and establishing a legacy that may never be matched in tennis history.
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Rafael Nadalâs emotional return to his kingdom
The Spaniard returned to where he built his legendary legacy over two decades. In a video posted by Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal can be seen entering the Court Philippe Chatrier, where he won all 14 French Open titles, to a thunderous applause from the crowd who wore a special shirt with âMerci Rafaâ written on it.
As soon as Rafael Nadal took his step onto the clay court, the entire crowd rose to their unison and gave a standing ovation to the legend who dominated the Roland Garros for two decades.
In another video posted by Roland Garros, Nadal can be seen breaking down in tears as the big screen shows a montage of his iconic French Open moments, from winning his first title as a teenager in 2005 to winning the 14th and last title as a legend of the game.
May 25 holds a significance in Rafael Nadalâs career as he won the first match at Roland Garros in 2005 and went on to win the first Grand Slam title of his career. Exactly 20 years later, the legendary tennis star returned to Roland Garros to bid an emotional farewell to the tournament that defined his legacy as the undisputed âKing of Clayâ.
Rafael Nadal holds several records at the French Open, including most wins (112-4), most finals won (14), and and the longest unbeaten streak (39 consecutive matches), making him the most successful player in the tournamentâs history and a symbol of excellence on clay.
Rafael Nadal recalls his Roland Garros journey
Speaking at his Roland Garros farewell event, Rafael Nadal reminisced about his journey at one of the prestigious Grand Slam tournaments, where he dominated for two decades. The Spanish tennis legend calls the French Open as âmost important part of his career.
âMy infinite gratitude to Gilles [Moretton], Amelie [Mauresmo] and the entire Roland Garros team for giving me the opportunity to have this farewell on without a doubt the most important tennis court in my career.â Nadal said.
âIt has been an incredible story that began back in 2004 when I came to Roland Garros for the very first time. I could barely walk due to my foot injury but that year I climbed to the top of the court on my crutches. I dreamed of coming back the following year.
âIn 2005, I was finally able to play here for the first time. I was 18 years old and my first major experience was the match that I played against my childhood friend and rival Richard Gasquet. From that day on, I fully understood what Roland Garros meant.â he added,
Rafael Nadal won four French Open titles on the trot from 2005 to 2008 and then won five consecutive Roland Garros triumphs from 2010 to 2014. Nadal won his next five French Open titles in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022.
