Nadal will receive a surprise tribute at the French Open! Make up for the King of Clay last year's regrets

Nadal will receive a special tribute at the 2025 French Open, which he declined last year. On April 17, at a special press conference held a month before the start of the 2025 French Open, Mauresmo, tournament director of the French Open, announced that a "celebration" ceremony will be held for Nadal on Sunday, May 25 at the Philippe Chartier Stadium. After three matches on the day, the legendary 14-time French Open winner will be honored in his own "back garden".

Earlier this year, French tennis president Gilles Moreton also revealed that they plan to schedule a "big moment" for Nadal during the upcoming French Open.

Nadal was a teenager when he won his first Grand Slam title in 2005. His last Grand Slam title also came at Roland Garros – in 2022, bringing his total to 22. With a record 14 French Open trophies to his name, the Spaniard's dominance on clay has not been broken in a short period of time.

In 2024, Nadal is constantly being asked by the media whether he will retire. When he announced at the Madrid Open that it would be his last appearance at the event, he received a special tribute. However, he was uncertain whether the 2024 French Open would be his final match at a Grand Slam on clay, so he politely rejected the tribute that had been planned for him.

"As you can imagine, we had something planned for him, but he said — he actually told us the day before yesterday — that he wasn't sure if this was the last time he would attend Roland Garros." Speaking at a press conference last year, Moresmo said, "He wants to leave the possibility for himself to come back, so we're not going to force him to do anything." It is up to him to decide when the official farewell ceremony will take place. That's why we decided not to do it last year. ”

In his final French Open match, Nadal lost to Zverev in the first round. A few months later, in October, the Spaniard announced that he would officially retire after playing for his country in the final stage of the Davis Cup in Malaga. He played the final game of his career in the Davis Cup quarter-finals against the Netherlands, losing to Van der Zandschulp. Spain were also eliminated in that game, ending Nadal's playing career.

This month, Nadal returned to the court during a meet-and-greet with the Academy's students. Since announcing his retirement following the defeat of Spain in the 2024 Davis Cup, the tennis legend has been deeply involved in his tennis academy and is committed to developing more young players who aspire to make their mark in tennis.

Often referred to as the "King of Clay", Rafael Nadal has been a source of inspiration for countless rising tennis stars. The Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy, which he founded in his hometown of Mallorca, opened in October 2016 and is dedicated to providing world-class training conditions for tennis talents.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion has always been hands-on, often visiting the academy in person and interacting with the players who train there. He posted a video on platform X in which he watched the players train and cheered them on. He also wrote in the post:

"Back to the pitch...... Spend quality time with the players from @rafanadalacademy. At the Academy, we strive to make them progress every day in tennis, in their studies, and in their personal growth. Good luck to you all during this critical time! ”

In addition to the tennis academy, Nadal has set up an educational institution that operates in parallel with the tennis academy and is affiliated with his foundation, which aims to promote all-round development. In March 2025, Nadal spoke on the Roddick podcast "Served" that he always felt it was his duty to give back to the sport that had given him so much.

"I think it's our responsibility to give back to people like us who are lucky enough to have a good life, chase their dreams and have the opportunity to do what they love. I knew this from the beginning. He said.

The Spaniard noted that he hopes to have more positive impact through his efforts and inspire more people to relay kindness, "In a way, we need to be positive role models because we can inspire others to help others." It's not just about what we can do, it's about what we can inspire others to do to help create a better world. ”(Source: Tennis Home Author: Spark)