STORY: Roland Garros opened with tears, chants and a sea of brick-red T-shirts reading 'Merci Rafa' as the French Open paid an emotional tribute on Sunday (May 25) to Rafael Nadal, the man who conquered its courts like no other.

On the anniversary of the day he first walked onto the court 20 years ago for a second-round match against Xavier Malisse, Nadal returned as a hero to be celebrated by a crowd that has always embraced him as one of their own.

As part of the moving ceremony, organisers unveiled a permanent tribute — Nadal’s footprint set into the clay of Court Philippe Chatrier, a lasting mark to honour the 14-time champion who retired from tennis last year.

Ten thousand 'Merci Rafa' T-shirts turned the stands into a living canvas, while high in the upper tiers, fans in white shirts formed a mosaic: 'RAFA' flanked by hearts and the characters '14 RG'.

Dressed in a sleek black suit and shirt, Nadal appeared to a standing ovation.

He quietly watched a short film retracing his French Open story, leaning on a lectern. Tennis stars Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek stood shoulder to shoulder with the crowd, both wearing the tribute shirt.

When the film ended, a three-minute ovation swelled up and tears rolled down Nadal's cheeks.

Later, Nadal was joined on court by Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Roger Federer, reforming the famous Big Four one last time.

They shared knowing glances, a few private words before Nadal thanked them for their rivalry and friendship.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FRENCH OPEN TRIBUTE FOR RAFAEL NADAL

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SHOTLIST AND SCRIPT

SHOWS: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 25, 2025) (FFT - See restrictions before use)

1. VARIOUS OF 14-TIME FRENCH OPEN WINNER, RAFA NADAL, WALKING OUT TO HIS TRIBUTE AS CROWD CHEERS

2. FANS WITH SPANISH FLAG THAT READS (Spanish): ‘THANK YOU RAFA’

3. NADAL AT PODIUM

4. NADAL LOOKING EMOTIONAL AS HE WATCHES VIDEO TRIBUTE TO HIS CAREER

5. TRIBUTE VIDEO ON JUMBO SCREEN AS FANS CHEER

6. NADAL LOOKING EMOTIONAL

7. NADAL WATCHING TRIBUTE

8. WORLD NUMBER TWO, CARLOS ALCARAZ, APPLAUDING FROM STANDS ALONGSIDE HIS COACH, JUAN CARLOS FERRERO

9. NADAL’S WIFE HOLDING THEIR SON IN THE STANDS

10. NADAL PREPARING TO SPEAK

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER WORLD NUMBER ONE AND 14-TIMES FRENCH OPEN WINNER, RAFA NADAL, SAYING:

“I’ve experienced everything over these 20 years. I’ve had incredible rivals like Andy (Murray), Novak (Djokovic), and of course, Roger (Federer). And of course, many others, who pushed me to my physical and mental limits. Truly, nothing would have been as thrilling without these long-lasting rivalries that have driven all of us to improve every single day. Roland Garros is unique. Not only because it’s a fundamental part of tennis history, but also because of all the people who work tirelessly and always with a smile to make this tournament what it is, unique.”

12. APPLAUSE FROM STANDS WHERE TOP ROW SAYS ‘RAFA’ IN WHITE AND IS FLANKED BY TWO HEARTS

13. ALCARAZ, FERRERO, WORLD NUMBER FIVE, IGA SWIATEK, AND OTHERS APPLAUDING FROM STANDS

14. (SOUNDBITE) (French – according to official translation) FORMER WORLD NUMBER ONE AND 14-TIMES FRENCH OPEN WINNER, RAFA NADAL, SAYING:

“I can’t play in front of you anymore, but my heart and my memories will always stay with this magic place.”

15. NADAL ON COURT, TOP OF STANDS READ ’14 R.G.’

16. VARIOUS OF NADAL’S BIGGEST RIVALS, ANDY MURRAY, NOVAK DJOKOVIC, AND ROGER FEDERER COMING OUT AND GREETING NADAL

17. NADAL PREPARING TO SPEAK

18. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER WORLD NUMBER ONE AND 14-TIMES FRENCH OPEN WINNER, RAFA NADAL, WITH CUTS TO MURRAY, DJOKOVIC, AND FEDERER, SAYING:

“You gave me some hard times on court. Honestly, though, I really enjoyed it, a lot, pushing myself to the limit every single day to compete with all of you. At the end, tennis is just a game. Sometimes we feel (it’s) a little bit more. But I think we understand that at the end of the day, it’s really only a game. So what that means, for me, that all of you are here is everything. That’s a great message to the world. That we can be good friends even if we had the best rivalries. Thank you very much.”

19. ALCARAZ APPLAUDING

20. VARIOUS OF NADAL BEING PRESENTED A SPECIAL TROPHY BY TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR, AMELIE MAURESMO AND FFT PRESIDENT, GILLES MORETTON

21. VARIOUS OF UNVEILING OF NADAL’S FOOTPRINT MONUMENT ON THE CLAY AND NADAL GETTING EMOTIONAL

22. (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) FEDERER, MAURESMO, NADAL, MORETTON, DJOKOVIC, AND MURRAY POSING FOR A PICTURE IN FRONT OF NADAL’S FOOTPRINT MONUMENT

23. SIGN READING (Spanish) ‘LET’S GO RAFA'

24. VARIOUS OF NADAL WAVING AS HE LEAVES

25. NADAL TAKING HIS SON, RAFA JR, FROM HIS WIFE MARIA PERELLO IN THE STANDS

26. VARIOUS OF NADAL LEAVING AND WAVING WITH HIS SON IN HIS ARMS