Rafael Nadal's French Open tribute: When is ceremony at Roland-Garros? What 'surprise' is planned? What has Amelie Mauresmo said ahead of Grand Slam?
Published 19/05/2025 at 13:09 GMT+1
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Rafael Nadal played his final match at the French Open in 2024 when he was beaten by Alexander Zverev. He will be back at the Grand Slam this year for a tribute to his legendary career which saw him win the tournament 14 times. What is planned? When will it take place? And what has French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said is in store for the tribute?
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Video credit: TNT Sports
Rafael Nadal is set to be honoured at the 2025 French Open with a tribute to the 14-time champion planned on the opening day.
Nadal is the greatest player in the history of Roland-Garros, losing just four matches across 19 appearances at the Grand Slam.
In his final match at the tournament last year he was beaten by Alexander Zverev in the first round.
A few months later Nadal announced he was retiring from tennis at the end of the 2024 season.
Nadal will return to the French Open this year for an "exceptional" tribute, but what exactly is planned and when will it take place?
Nadal ceremony on opening day
A ceremony to honour Nadal will be held on the opening day of the 2025 French Open, which is live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
It will be on Court Philippe-Chatrier following the conclusion of the day matches on Sunday, May 25.
There will also be an exhibition paying tribute to Nadal for the duration of the Grand Slam.
"I'm not much for tributes, but Roland-Garros is obviously the most important place in my career, without a doubt," said Nadal.
"So, if something big is to be done, it has to be there, or at least give them priority to do it there. And that's how it was planned from the beginning, and nothing more. I'm delighted that it's the way it is."
French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo told TNT Sports: "We want to honour Rafa and make sure that we celebrate him in the right way.
"Winning 14 times here is such a special memory for him, such a special relationship between the tournament and Rafa.
"He also wants something simple, authentic, and true, just like he is. So we try to fit that order, let's say."
Nadal won the French Open for the first time on his tournament debut as a 19-year-old in 2005.
Over the next nine years he would lift the trophy eight times and lose just once, in the fourth round in 2009 to Robin Soderling.
His 14th and final victory came in 2022 when he beat Casper Ruud in the final.
Given his incredible history with the French Open, Mauresmo says the hope is to continue to "work together" with Nadal in the future.
"Nothing has been really determined really well, but the will from both Roland-Garros and Rafa is to really continue the story after he's done with his tennis career.
"They are linked forever, Rafa and the tournament. We're going to find a way.
"To be honest, the priority was really to focus on the movie that we made, the little promotional movie that we made with Rafa, to focus on the ceremony that we're going to have, then we'll be able to, from there, really work on something that is making him happy, that is making us happy.
"I'm 100 per cent sure we're going to find ways to work together."
Nadal is the star of a promotional video for the 2025 French Open that features the tagline "only at Roland-Garros".
Mauresmo: We wanted to do tribute last year
Mauresmo has said that the tribute planned for Nadal at this year's French Open will be "exceptional".
She also revealed that there were intentions to do it last year, but Nadal was unsure whether it would be his last appearance at the Grand Slam.
"We want the tribute to be special, exceptional. We want it to be a surprise for everyone," said Mauresmo.
"We wanted to do the tribute last year, to be transparent, but he refused at the time. He wasn't sure that it was his last Roland-Garros. Now that he is retired, he is happy to receive it."
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Stream the 2025 French Open live and on-demand on discovery+
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