3 times tennis took center stage at the Olympics ft. Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams in Paris

One of the most hotly-anticipated events at the Olympics is the opening ceremony. It sets the tone for the Games, and is a beautiful showcase of the host nation's culture, and offers a chance for participating countries to do the same during the introductory parade.

The French put on quite the show for this year's opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics on Friday, July 26. Pop icons Lady Gaga and Celine Dion dazzled with their showstopping performances. For the latter, it was a triumphant return to performing in public amidst her ongoing health issues.

Aside from the music industry's leading divas, numerous sporting icons were also in the spotlight throughout the night. A few notable names from the tennis community were part of the festivities as well. It is not the first time that players from the sport have been involved in the opening ceremony.

On that note, here's a look at three occasions when tennis players were in the spotlight during the opening ceremony of the Olympics:

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#1 - Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams at the Paris Olympics 2024

Rafael Nadal at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: Getty)

The lighting of the Olympic cauldron officially signals the start of the Games. The Olympic flame is lit several months before the commencement of the Games in Olympia, Greece in a traditional ceremony. The flame then travels the country, and is later taken to the host nation.

The final leg of this tradition features a relay in which the flame is passed on from various athletes in a torch relay, culminating in a well-known athlete from the host nation lighting the cauldron.

This year, two of tennis' most renowned icons were part of the torch relay. Zinedine Zidane, one of France's most successful football players, handed over the torch to Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard has captured 14 of his 22 Major titles in Paris at the French Open, and won the Olympic gold in singles and doubles in the past as well.

Nadal was joined by fellow tennis legend, 23-time Major champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist Serena Williams. Together, the duo took a boat ride on the river Seine along with fellow Olympians Carl Lewis and Nadia Comaneci.

The foursome then handed the torch to another tennis player, two-time Major champion and current French Open tournament director, Amelie Mauresmo. She took the torch to the Louvre, and the final honor of lighting the cauldron went to French judoka Teddy Riner and track star Marie-Jose Perec.

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#2 - Naomi Osaka at the Tokyo Olympics 2020

Naomi Osaka at the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: Getty)

The Tokyo Olympics took place a year later than originally planned as the world was thrown into chaos due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The opening ceremony was a relatively subdued affair compared to the glitz and glamor of the previous ones. However, it was still an eye-catching spectacle.

Tennis was in the spotlight once again as the honor of lighting the cauldron went to one of Japan's most successful athletes - Naomi Osaka. The four-time Major champion had won her latest Grand Slam title earlier that year, and was one of the leading picks to conclude the torch relay.

The flame was brought into the stadium by Japanese wrestler Saori Yoshida and judoka Tadahiro Nomura. It was then handed over to three of the country's most noted baseball players, Shigeo Nagashima, Sadaharu Oh, and Hideki Matsui, paralympian Wakako Tsuchida, along with a doctor and a nurse, and a group of students born just before the devastating 2011 tsunami.

They handed it over to Osaka, who completed the relay by lighting the cauldron. She would compete in the Olympics as well, and lost in the third round. She's set to participate in the Paris Olympics too.

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#3 - Maria Sharapova at the Sochi Olympics 2014

Maria Sharapova (L) at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. (Photo: Getty)

The Winter Olympics initially played second fiddle to the Summer Olympics but has caught the attention of fans worldwide over the years. When the Games were held in Sochi in 2014, it was one of the biggest editions of the Winter Olympics.

Maria Sharapova is one of the most accomplished tennis players, as well as one of the most decorated Russian athletes. She had completed a career Grand Slam a couple of years before the Games were to be held in Sochi.

She had also won the silver medal at the London Olympics in 2012. Naturally, she was one of the top choices to be a part of the opening ceremony when the Winter Olympics were held in her native country.

Sharapova was part of the torch relay and she was responsible for taking the torch inside the stadium. The relay eventually concluded with figure skater Irina Rodnina and ice hockey goalkeeper Vladislav Tretiak lighting the cauldron.