Nadal Bids Tearful Farewell to Roland-Garros Amid Standing Ovation; Federer and the Big Four Reunite; Zheng Qinwen Calls Him a Legend

During the opening round of this year’s French Open, a special tribute was held in honor of Rafael Nadal, the "King of Clay" who has lifted the French Open trophy 14 times. The ceremony saw the reunion of the Big Four—Federer, Djokovic, and Murray joined Nadal at center court, capturing the hearts of fans around the world. The French Open also permanently embedded Nadal’s footprints and the symbol of his 14 titles at the center of the Philippe-Chatrier court, marking his historic achievements. In his emotional speech, Nadal tearfully declared, "Roland-Garros is truly one of a kind." Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen praised Nadal's willpower and fighting spirit, calling him an "absolute legend."

In the opening round of this year’s French Open, 37-year-old Nadal had an emotional farewell. The French Open organizers held a special tribute ceremony and invited Federer, Djokovic, and Murray to share the moment. The sight of the Big Four together again had fans nostalgic and emotional.

During the ceremony, the French Open gave out "Merci Rafa" T-shirts to the crowd, transforming the stadium into a sea of orange in tribute to Nadal. With a cracking voice, Nadal said, "For the past 20 years, I have experienced everything here. None of it would have been as brilliant without my incredible rivals. Roland-Garros is truly one of a kind."

In a final gesture of respect, the staff removed some of the clay to reveal a permanent plaque featuring Nadal’s footprints and 14 French Open titles, symbolizing his enduring legacy at the tournament.

China’s tennis star Zheng Qinwen also spoke of her admiration: "Although my idol is Federer, my father always told me to learn from Nadal’s will and fighting spirit. Nadal is an absolute legend. His accomplishments are something I can’t even imagine achieving, but he made them real."