Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer‘s relationship has always been like a mix of intense rivalry on the court and genuine friendship off it. Despite facing each other 40 times in their careers, which included almost 24 finals, these two tennis greats always had a deep respect for each other’s talents and also shared several emotional moments throughout their journey. For example, when talking about this rivalry, Federer once said, “I’m his No. 1 fan; I think his game is simply tremendous. He’s an incredible competitor, and I’m happy we’ve had some epic battles in the past.” While Nadal claimed, “If anyone says I am better than Roger, then he doesn’t know anything about tennis.” Highlighting this unique camaraderie between two fierce rivals, when Nadal announced his retirement from the sport last year, the Swiss penned down a heartfelt note saying, “I want you to know that your old friend is always cheering for you, and will be cheering just as loud for everything you do next.” Now, since Roland Garros will bid goodbye to its favorite son through a tribute on Sunday (May 25), will Federer be among the attendees?
Celebrating the legacy of the ‘King of Clay’! Just a few months ago, the French Tennis Federation President, Giles Moretton, claimed that they had organized a “tribute” for Rafael Nadal at this year’s French Open. Although he didn’t spill the beans about the exact plans that time, later on, Rafael Nadal claimed, “I’m not much for tributes, but Roland-Garros is obviously the most important place in my career, without a doubt.” As per the tournament director, Amelie Mauresmo’s recent statement, “We want to honor 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.”
She also said that they are very much hopeful of continuing to “work together” with the 14-time champion. Talking about the plans, she further added, “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.” Roland Garros has always been very special to Rafa, but will this farewell event be enlightened by the presence of his special rival? Well, as per the reports, Roger Federer is expected to be present at this event.
Details for Rafael Nadal’s Roland Garros tribute have been revealed:
– Famous French Open announcer Marc Maury will lead the tribute
– Tribute video
– Roger Federer + Carlos Alcaraz expected to be attendance
– Nadal’s family and friends in the stands
— Olly Tennis (@Olly_Tennis_) May 24, 2025
Interestingly, Federer hasn’t returned to the Bois de Boulogne courts since his withdrawal before his match against Matteo Berrettini in the R16 in 2021. But he promised that he’ll cheer for him at whatever he does next, and it seems Federer has now kept his promise! The event will take place after the three scheduled matches, which begin at 12:00 pm (local time). Therefore, the event will most likely not begin before 6:00 pm. If we take a look at further details, the event will be hosted by the renowned tournament speaker, Mar Maury. Who else will most likely be present at this event?
Well, talking about big names, since Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will be taking part in the 2025 French Open, they are also expected to be here. Other than that, the NBA legend Pau Gasol is also expected to be among the attendees. What does the tennis world have to say about Rafael Nadal’s everlasting legacy and also about this special event at Roland Garros?
“I’m gonna cry” – Rafael Nadal’s biggest fan, Iga Swiatek, shares her thoughts on his tribute
Several reactions have been coming in recently, surrounding the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s legacy in the sport. For example, Carlos Alcaraz, who idolized Rafael Nadal while growing up, said in a recent interview, “He has been one of the best ambassadors for tennis and I think his legacy will last forever. He was probably one of the players who put tennis at the pinnacle of sport, the pinnacle of the world. It was amazing to have Rafa in tennis at this time in my life.”
Just like Alcaraz, even Iga Swiatek has always described Rafael Nadal as her “biggest inspiration.” She recently shared her reaction to this special event at Roland Garros, saying, “I really want to watch it. I’ll see what the schedule looks like for Monday… I need to be aware that for sure I’m gonna cry. We should all kind of get together and celebrate Rafa and what he did for our sport. What kind of inspiration he was and still is. It means a lot to me. So I would love to be there. We will see about the schedule.“
Although her participation in this ceremony depends on her own match schedule, her reaction tells us how emotional this moment is going to be for all the Rafa fans. Talking about his legacy in this event in particular, French tennis player, Hugo Gaston said, “It’s going to be strange. It’ll leave room for someone else in any case. Roland-Garros and Nadal, the two are linked. I know there will be a tribute. A Roland-Garros without Nadal might be a little different.” In Nadal’s absence, who do you think will emerge as the winner in the men’s singles this time?
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