Roland Garros named after Rafa Nadal. The "King of Paris" will remain here forever
I admit that I waited until the end of this year's tournament in Paris to write a text about its legend. Because the 2025 edition had one figure who surpassed everyone else. Rafael Nadal said goodbye to the fans on center court exactly two weeks before the final, thanking them, but above all receiving thanks for all the years of his game. The magic that the Spaniard spread around him, becoming the "King of Paris" with fourteen Grand Slam titles - precisely on French clay.
Roland Garros: Rafael Nadal, or from Sopot to the "King of Paris"It will be impossible to find the right words to include everything that happened in Rafa's career in one text. I will allow myself to describe the Spanish champion in this way, because it is a slogan that goes beyond the world of sports, in fact one of the symbols of the last, at least two decades.
On August 14, 2004, Rafa won his first major tournament. It was in Sopot, that's right, Idea Prokom Open. The Spaniard won 6:3, 6:4 against the Argentine Jose Acasuso, on a cold court, of course. The popular "brick" was, is and probably will be - already in recreational form - the natural environment for the Spaniard. Since his triumph in Sopot, Rafa has headed towards the stars, completely opposite to the Polish tennis tournament, but that's a story for a completely different article...
In 2005, the Spaniard won the Roland Garros Grand Slam for the first time. Exactly two decades ago, looking at the 2025 edition, he beat Mariano Puerta in four sets. Another Argentine on Rafa's roster, although this is only a small symbolism, because in subsequent years Nadal's biggest battles were with a duo from the so-called Big Three.
The Swiss Roger Federer won in Paris "only" once. Let's face it, but to some extent that Roland Garros was won for him by Robin Söderling. The Swede, who became the hero of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, sensations in the history of the Grand Slam in the 21st century. As if nothing had happened, Söderling beat Rafa in Paris, but he didn't find a way to the final with Federer. The Swiss's fans probably won't be offended by me, and out of the aforementioned, great trio, I've always been closest to Fedex. But the truth is that Nadal simply didn't lose at Roland Garros.
[…] he certainly gave it his all at Roland Garros and was rewarded accordingly. He finished the tournament with a 112-4 record and a 97% win rate. On clay he won a record 63 singles titles in men's tennis, a 484-51 record, or 90% win rate, definitely better than the 79% on grass and 77% on hard courts […] He won eight Grand Slam tournaments on other surfaces, enough to equal the total of Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl and Andre Agassi and surpass the likes of John McEnroe, Mars Wilander, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and the Musketeers Lacoste and Cochet.
Rafa was the best in Paris in the following years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022. As you can see, he took that defeat by Söderling to heart enough to win the next five editions of Roland Garros in a row. A giant, looking through the prism of how difficult it is to win Grand Slam tournaments.
Let's go back to the last victory of the "King of Paris", from 2022. At that time, Rafa defeated Casper Ruud in the final. The Norwegian was 23 years old at the time and reached the Grand Slam final for the first time in his career. What's more, Ruud was a student of... Rafa Nadal's Academy years ago, not hiding that the Spaniard is his great idol. Similarly, as Iga Świątek, the "Queen of Paris" of recent years, has repeatedly declared.
Rafa once again delighted the French crowd by winning, becoming, at the age of 36, the oldest Roland Garros winner in history.
And of course, one could now write about Rafa's sad ending, also the one in Paris, when, in addition to the rival on the other side of the net, he had to fight primarily with his health. Problems that took away the chances for another, perhaps 15th RG title, and who knows, even an Olympic medal at the Paris Games (2024). But this is unnecessary for one, very simple reason. The Spaniard showed the whole world that regardless of whether he played on the verge of extreme physical pain, having the right dose of strong painkillers in him, he fought. Still.
Here it is worth giving a voice to the person concerned himself, in order to understand what kind of sporting ambition, which goes beyond the human capabilities of the average Joe, we are talking about.
– The only thing that matters to me is that I don’t want to leave the tour and I can’t leave the tour feeling that I really, really didn’t give my all to achieve my goals […] It would frustrate me in the future. But if I forced myself to do it, I made this huge effort, but I just couldn’t play better, then I can live with that. I will have the personal satisfaction that I had the right attitude, respect for the sport, respect for my opponents. That I had good relationships with all the people working in the world of tennis and that I was a fighter, I fought to overcome injuries and difficult moments. I will have the satisfaction that I conducted myself well on and off the court and that, behaving properly, I gave my all to achieve my goals. If I didn’t achieve them, it’s because my opponents managed to achieve them and I was too weak. The only thing that gives me great personal satisfaction and happiness is the awareness that I pushed myself to get the most out of myself.
[…]
– So you think you managed to achieve it?
He thought for a moment, but no longer than it took him to decide whether to send a topspin forehand down the cross or down the line.
- Yes, he replied with a laugh. - I think so.*
Carlos Alcaraz is Rafa's successor. What's next for Novak Djokovic's career?In the context of the aforementioned Big Three, one of the tennis musketeers is still playing. It is Novak Djokovic, the Serbian champion who reached the semifinals at Roland Garros 2025. It was clear that Nole really wanted to mount a successful attack on the title. However, the Serb turned out to be slightly weaker than the current number 1 of the ATP rankings, Jannik Sinner.
After the semi-final, Djokovic hinted that this might be his last Roland Garros in his career. A year earlier, during the Olympic tournament, the Serb had won the gold medal in Paris. Then the legend rose to great heights, snatching the final from... Rafa's successor, Carlos Alcaraz. An incredible Spaniard who, with his game of attrition, finesse, and fighting spirit, strongly resembles the "King of Paris". With Nadal, he tried to win a medal in the Olympic tournament in doubles. Unfortunately, even the magic of Paris did not help at that time, although it seemed that almost all tennis fans wished Rafa success - in any configuration.
Will Alcaraz repeat the history of his champion? It's too early to write about it directly, especially since Carlitos only turned 22 in May of this year. He already has one Grand Slam victory in Paris (2024), so this is certainly a good start.
There is certainly something to strive for, and we will probably see the effects in... another 20 years. Today, Rafa has his special mark on the main court in Paris. And his farewell was one of the most moving in years, looking at the whole atmosphere of the event during RG 2025.
At which, in addition to fans, officials and various important personalities (Świątek and Alcaraz in the stands, wearing specially dedicated Rafa shirts), there was also no shortage of the aforementioned, great opponents. Although off the court, this was the impression one could get, this was a group of good buddies, appreciating the achievements of their competitors, both in sports and in life.
Let's add, in addition to Federer, Rafa and Djokovic - Andy Murray. A Scot who was also great in his tennis career. Although, a bit like the Spaniard, he had to fight injuries too often.
Nadal is the only player to have been the number one seed in three different decades, the only one to spend nearly 18 consecutive years in the top 10. But when the red dust finally settles, his defining achievement in the eyes of those who, like me, have watched him from the start with mounting amazement, and those who will never see him hit a ball in person or shout “Vamos!” after a point because they got into tennis later, will be his 14 victories at Roland Garros.
It was good to live in the era of the greatest. There will be something to talk about in the future.
* quotes come from the book "Warrior. Rafael Nadal and his Kingdom". The author of the book is Christopher Clarey. The book hit the Polish market thanks to SQN Publishing House.
Read also: Shock, embarrassment, disaster, or Iga Świątek through Polish eyes Read also: The Polish national volleyball team is starting to play! The first important test
Wprost
