Dear Rafa,
It has been a privilege to watch you evolve on our clay, where you will leave a perpetual mark on such a challenging surface.
We're proud to count you as our greatest champion, as much for your 14 titles as for the man you are. Your legacy will live on forever, on and off the tennis courts.
Victory belongs to the most tenacious. Legend belongs to the King of clay.
Thank you for the countless memories we've shared together. We wish you all the best for the future. Roland-Garros has been and always will be your home.
Hasta pronto, amigo 🧡
Roland-Garros
Vamos, @RafaelNadal!
As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional.
Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me—a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could. On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could just to hold my ground. You made me reimagine my game—even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge.
I’m not a very superstitious person, but you took it to the next level. Your whole process. All those rituals. Assembling your water bottles like toy soldiers in formation, fixing your hair, adjusting your underwear... All of it with the highest intensity. Secretly, I kind of loved the whole thing. Because it was so unique—it was so you.
And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more.
OK, maybe not at first. After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the #1 ranking for the first time. I thought I was on top of the world. And I was—until two months later, when you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly. All that buzz I’d been hearing about you—about this amazing young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, probably going to win a major someday—it wasn’t just hype.
We were both at the start of our journey and it’s one we ended up taking together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I have to say: What an incredible run you’ve had. Including 14 French Opens—historic! You made Spain proud... you made the whole tennis world proud.
I keep thinking about the memories we’ve shared. Promoting the sport together. Playing that match on half-grass, half-clay. Breaking the all-time attendance record by playing in front of more than 50,000 fans in Cape Town, South Africa. Always cracking each other up. Wearing each other out on the court and then, sometimes, almost literally having to hold each other up during trophy ceremonies.
I’m still grateful you invited me to Mallorca to help launch the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2016. Actually, I kind of invited myself. I knew you were too polite to insist on me being there, but I didn’t want to miss it. You have always been a role model for kids around the world, and Mirka and I are so glad that our children have all trained at your academies. They had a blast and learned so much—like thousands of other young players. Although I always worried my kids would come home playing tennis as lefties.
And then there was London—the Laver Cup in 2022. My final match. It meant everything to me that you were there by my side—not as my rival but as my doubles partner. Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career.
Rafa, I know you’re focused on the last stretch of your epic career. We will talk when it’s done. For now, I just want to congratulate your family and team, who all played a massive role in your success. And I want you to know that your old friend is always cheering for you, and will be cheering just as loud for everything you do next.
Rafa that!
Best always, your fan,
Roger
El logo de Adidas de la nueva equipación es mucho más grande no?? Me parece bastante feo que lo hayan agrandado.
Es más... Cómo al Madrid le de por ganar el mundialito veremos a ver qué pasa con el escudo.
Monica McNutt (ESPN):
“Luka me dijo después del partido que no quería jugar un partido más el sábado contra los Minnesota Wolves porque coincidiría con la final de la Champions League del Real Madrid, así que este tema le dio una motivación extra para acabar la serie”
1- 39 años
2- Sensación que se lo recorre en 3 zancadas
3- Menude acojone tenía ahí el Bernabéu. ¡¡Esa recuperación había que celebrarla por todo la alto!!
Primera vez desde 2002 que al Madrid le adelantan un partido al viernes por tener Champions la semana siguiente. En estos 22 años al Atleti le han adelantado 6, al Barsa 4, al Valencia 3, al Sevilla 2 y al Villarreal y Athletic, así que es la primera vez en 22 años que hay quejas