Rafael Nadal to be honored with 'exceptional' tribute on opening day of Roland Garros

PARIS (AP) — Retired 14-time champion Rafael Nadal will receive a tribute at the French Open on Court Philippe-Chatrier on May 25, the tournament's opening day.

"Rafa has left his mark on the history of the French Open in so many ways, that's why a tribute ceremony will be held in his honor," French Open tournament director Amélie Mauresmo said on Thursday. "We want the tribute to be special, exceptional. We want it to be a surprise for everyone."

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion who retired in November, already has a statue rising in the alleys of the clay court Grand Slam. He will also feature in an exhibition in the tournament museum and lend his voice to the official French Open trailer.

"We wanted to do the tribute last year, to be transparent, but he refused at the time," Mauresmo said. "He wasn't sure that it was his last Roland Garros. Now that he is retired, he is happy to receive it."

Nadal holds the record for the most French Open titles with 14. His last appearance at the tournament was in 2024 when he lost to Alexander Zverev in the first round.

"Rafael Nadal and Roland Garros are inseparable. We have a strong history together," said Gilles Moretton, president of the French Tennis Federation. "Amélie and I went to see him not long ago because we wanted to do something important for him. We still had some frustration from last year."

Organizers also plan to build on the success of the 2024 Paris Olympics by setting up a fan zone with giant screens showing matches. Located at Place de la Concorde in central Paris, the venue will be free and open to up to 5,000 fans.

"We saw an incredible atmosphere last summer in Paris. We plan on surfing on this success," Mauresmo said.