“There will be a major moment”: French Open to honour Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros

The director of the French Tennis Federation (FFT), Gilles Moretton, has announced that Rafael Nadal will receive a special tribute at the next edition of Roland Garros. The French tennis leadership aims to give the 14-time champion a proper send-off following his retirement at the end of 2024.

Nadal’s last appearance at Roland Garros was a bitter one, as he suffered a first-round defeat against Alexander Zverev. At the time, Nadal stated he wasn’t sure if it would be his final match at the tournament, which meant he did not receive a farewell at the event where he enjoyed unparalleled success.

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Despite that, the Spaniard retired with an astonishing 112-4 record at the French Open—the best win-loss record of any player at a single Grand Slam—along with his historic 14 titles. For this reason, the FFT director wants to give Nadal a fitting tribute: "We are going to experience a year of tribute. I won’t reveal any secrets, but there will certainly be something special for Rafael Nadal," Moretton stated.

"A true tribute, a significant one. We were prepared for it last year, but he wasn’t—he was still in competition mode. Then came the Davis Cup, and he wanted to finish on his own terms. The tribute we gave him wasn’t what we had envisioned. There will be a major moment for Rafael Nadal in 2025."

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The former world No. 1 played his final tournament at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, where he lost to Botic Van de Zandschulp, and Spain was eliminated in the quarterfinals. "We visited him at his home in early December, along with Amélie Mauresmo (tournament director), to discuss the tribute we are planning for him and to talk about the future," Moretton revealed.

"And he is open to discussing the future. In due time, we will outline the role he could take on as an ambassador with us. The two ‘brands,’ Rafael Nadal and Roland Garros, are one and the same. So yes, we are considering future collaborations with him."

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