Paris: Roland Garros etched Rafael Nadal into the clay forever, unveiling a special plaque bearing his name, footprint, and the number 14 — a tribute to his unmatched dominance at the French Open, where he has won an astonishing 112 out of 116 matches.
No other player in history has ever been more closely associated with a Grand Slam event.
The plaque, revealed in an emotional on-court ceremony at Court Philippe-Chatrier, marked the culmination of a tribute to Nadal’s unparalleled career in Paris — and possibly the final on-court reunion of tennis' "Big Four."
As the crowd of 15,000 rose in ovation, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray emerged from the wings to join Nadal, bringing together the four greats who defined an era of tennis. The ceremony featured a video montage of their legendary rivalries, before the three champions shared the stage with Nadal for his moment of farewell.
Visibly moved, Nadal addressed his longtime rivals with heartfelt emotion: "We all achieved our dreams. We had amazing rivalries — but in a good way. We fought as hard as possible and respected each other. You gave me a hard time on court, but I always enjoyed pushing myself to the limit to compete with you."
He continued, "At the end of the day, tennis is just a game. What that means for me is that all of you are here — it is a great message to the world. We can be good friends even if we had the best rivalries on the court."
Tournament Director Amélie Mauresmo and FFT President Gilles Moretton presented Nadal with a commemorative trophy, as the audience looked on in admiration. A powerful visual tribute followed — a human "Merci" formed by dancers, ballkids and French Open staff, including physios, drivers, and locker room attendants, all of whom had supported Nadal over the years.
Nadal choked back tears during his speech, especially while thanking his uncle and former coach Toni Nadal. At one point, he broke into laughter after losing a page of his prepared remarks: "I have to admit I lost one of the pages of my speech, but it'll be okay!"
The stands were awash in orange, with fans donning commemorative "Merci Rafa" shirts. Among the many notable attendees were Iga ?wi?tek, Carlos Alcaraz, and Juan Carlos Ferrero.
As Nadal stood by the newly unveiled plaque — his footprint now part of the clay he conquered for two decades — the message was clear: Paris is Rafa's forever.
Tears, tributes galore as Nadal bids farewell
Rafael Nadal, the 14-time Roland Garros champion, received a heartfelt tribute at Court Philippe-Chatrier as he was honoured in a special ceremony attended by a 15,000-strong crowd.
Nadal, who first played at the French Open two decades ago at the age of 18, delivered an emotional speech thanking his legendary rivals Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer for pushing him to his limits both physically and mentally.
“In 2005 I was finally able to play here for the first time. My first major experience was the match against my childhood friend and rival Richard Gasquet,” Nadal recalled.
“From that day, I fully understood what Roland Garros meant. I have experienced everything over these 20 years. I’ve had incredible rivals like Andy, Novak, and, of course, Roger. Many others pushed me to my physical and mental limits.”
The entire stadium was awash in orange, with fans wearing clay-coloured “Merci Rafa” shirts and messages of gratitude projected throughout the venue. A video montage showcasing Nadal’s highlights at Roland Garros played on the big screens, bringing Nadal and his family, including his uncle Toni and wife and son, to tears.
Notable attendees included reigning champion Iga Swiatek, rising star Carlos Alcaraz, and former French Open winner Juan Carlos Ferrero, who joined the audience in paying tribute to the Spanish tennis great.
The emotional ceremony celebrated Nadal’s unparalleled achievements and enduring legacy at Roland Garros, marking the end of an era in men’s tennis.
