PARIS — Rafael Nadal said he’s at peace with his decision to retire and hasn’t touched a tennis racket in seven months as he bid farewell to Roland Garros during an emotional ceremony at the French Open on Sunday.
Nadal thanked fans in a packed Court Philippe-Chatrier for their support, as Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray joined the on-court celebration. Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Carlos Moya and Juan Carlos Ferrero were among those watching on from the stands, with the crowd of 15,000 strong all wearing T-shirts with “Merci Rafa” printed on them.
Nadal was honored with a permanent plaque of his footprint next to the net post on court.
“When I saw that, I thought was going to be just for this year,” Nadal said. “Knowing that’s going to be forever there, it’s a present that I can’t describe in words.”
Nadal retired in November 2024 after an incredible career which saw him win 22 Grand Slam titles. Remarkably, 14 of those came at Roland Garros — with his first in 2005 and last in 2022. He already had a statue honoring him on the grounds before he played his final match at the tournament last year, but this was his chance to bid farewell to the place he calls “the most important tennis court of my career.”
“I am having fun,” Nadal said of his retirement. “I don’t miss much tennis, because I feel that I’ve given all what I had. I arrive today with the peace that I can’t be on court. You know, my body doesn’t allow me to be on court. So that’s all. I am at peace.
“I did all what I could to have the best career possible, and now I am enjoying this new phase of my life, that I am sure [is] going to be less exciting than the tennis career, because the adrenaline that the sports gives to you, I think it’s impossible to find in other things in life. But that doesn’t mean I’m gonna be less happy. I can be happier with less adrenaline and taking care of different things.”
Nadal, Murray, Djokovic and Federer all drove each other to remarkable levels in the sport, and Nadal said he hopes the world can learn from how they handled their rivalry.
“To have my three biggest rivals there on the court with me meant a lot,” Nadal said. “At the same time, it’s a great message for the world, I think, that best rivals — toughest rivalries probably in the history of our sport — are able to be good colleagues, to respect each other. You don’t need to hate the opponent to try to beat him with all your forces.
“And that’s the message that I think we showed people, we showed the new generations. In some way, that’s our legacy. The results are there, but at the same time the results are just results. [Relationships] stay the same.”
Nadal said he’d lost touch with Murray, only to see a text message pop up on his phone after Arsenal knocked out Real Madrid from the Champions League earlier this season.
“The message read: ‘Hey, Rafa, haven’t spoken to you in a while. Just checking in to make sure you are OK.’ Honestly, it took me like five seconds to realize what I was reading, because at the beginning, I said, ‘OK, he’s such a nice guy. He’s asking about how I’m doing, family.’ After five seconds, I said, ‘This is the British sense of humor.'”
Central to Nadal’s farewell was the theme of the importance of family. His former coach and uncle Toni Nadal was in attendance at the ceremony alongside Rafa’s wife Maria and their son Rafael.
Nadal was asked whether he wants his son to follow in his footsteps and make the same sacrifices he did to reach such levels in the sport.
“If my son lives the tennis career the way that I lived, of course, yes. Because, as you mentioned about sacrifices, I never had that feeling, you know,” said Nadal, who said he will play exhibition matches at some point in the future. “I never had the feeling that I lost a part of my life to become professional.
“So let’s say if my son feels that way, I will support him. I don’t think [that’s] gonna be the case, but I will support him on anything that he wants to do.”
As he bid farewell to Roland Garros, Nadal thanked tournament organizers and paid tribute to the love that the Parisian crowd has showed to him.
“Thank you, France. Thank you, Paris,” a tearful Nadal said. “You gave me many emotions. I could have never imagined so many moments. It’s fantastic to feel so much love and appreciation here. That is why it is the most important place for me.
“You made me feel like another Frenchman here. I will not be able to play in front of you again, but my heart and my memories will always be linked to this place and these people. A thousand thank yous for everything.”
