Rafael Nadal received a catchy reception while the “King of Clay” entered the court Philippe Chatrier for the last time on Sunday during a ceremony to celebrate his career at the Open of France. The 38-year-old man, who retired tennis last November, was serenade by the crowd of Roland Garros, with spectators carrying t-shirts of different colors to create the message “14 RG, Rafa”. Nadal dominated the French Open after winning its debut in adolescence in 2005, raising the trophy 14 times record. The Spaniard finished with a remarkable record of 112-4 victories at the Grand Chelem Clay-Court.
He won the title for the last time in 2022 and played his last game on Paris clay last year when he was defeated by Alexander Zverev in the first round.
“I do not know how to start … I have been playing in this court for 20 years. I suffered, I won, I lost. I lived many emotions here on this court,” an emotional nadal at the crowd told the crowd of his high career moments to Roland Garros.
Nadal’s family and friends have watched from the player’s box, as well as many of his former coaches employees, including his uncle Toni.
“Without a doubt, the most important tennis court in my career,” added Nadal to Cheers.
“It was an incredible story that started in 2004 when I came to Roland Garros for the very first time. I could barely walk on crutches due to a foot injury. I climbed to the top of the field and I looked and I can’t wait to play here.
Nadal won the title the following year after this reverse of the injury, lowered Mariano Puerta in the final.
– The old rivals pay homage –
The longtime rivals of Nadal, Novak Djokovic, fresh to win his 100th ATP title on Saturday, Roger Federer and Andy Murray all joined him in the main court of Chatrier.
The trio was released after Nadal’s speech to salute their former world colleague in the world, to a deafening roar of fans.
“After all these years that are fighting for everything, it is incredible to see how time changes the prospect of things,” Nadal told other members of “Big Four”.
“All nerves, pressure, strange feelings when you see yourself when you are competing, it’s completely different when you end your career.
“We built incredible rivalries, but I think that in the right direction, we fought hard for the titles, but we were good colleagues and we stayed …
“It means a lot that you are all here. I really enjoyed pushing myself on the limit every day to compete with all of you.”
Nadal hung up his racket after the Davis 2024 Cup final in Malaga, initially refusing him the opportunity to show goodbye to his worshipers in Paris.
His counting of 14 victories in a single grand slam seems little likely to be beaten, with the 11 open Australian titles of Margaret short second on the list of all time.
Nadal received a special trophy commemorating his French open file, with a brand of his imprint carved in the clay.
The Grand Chelem champion at 22 times received a shipment after his last match at the Davis Cup, but the chief of the French tennis federation, Gilles Moretton, said earlier this year that “the tribute was not, in my opinion, what he should have been”.
He said he went to visit Nadal at his home in December with the director of the Roland Garros tournament, Amelie Mauresmo, to discuss the plans for the ceremony on Sunday.
JC / MW
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