"There will be a great moment for Rafael Nadal" - FFT president unveils plans for Spaniard receiving 'real tribute' at French Open 2025

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal is set to receive a long-awaited tribute at the 2025 French Open, as confirmed by French Tennis Federation (FFT) president Gilles Moretton. The Spaniard brought his illustrious career to a close last year during Spain’s Davis Cup tie against the Netherlands in Málaga.

Nadal is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, boasting an impressive 22 Grand Slam titles. His record 14 French Open titles underscore his unrivaled dominance on clay. Nadal claimed 92 career singles titles and secured an Olympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Although his claycourt dominance earned him the title 'King of Clay,' injuries in his final seasons prevented him from competing at full strength. Nadal's last Roland Garros match came in 2024, where he fell to Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 in the first round. At the time, the 38-year-old said he was unsure if it was his final appearance at the claycourt Major, though he acknowledged it was a strong possibility. That proved true when he officially retired in November.

Although his final tournament lacked a farewell ceremony, the upcoming French Open will feature a special tribute to Nadal. Gilles Moretton revealed this in a recent conversation with Europe 1.

"We will have a 'tribute' year. I'm not giving away any secrets, there will definitely be something for Rafael Nadal, a real tribute, very important. We are attached to it," he said.

Moretton further noted that last year, Nadal was still focused on competing, including at the Davis Cup, where the tribute didn’t fully reflect his legacy. Thus, a grand tribute awaits in 2025.

"He was still in his player status. Then, there was the Davis Cup where he wanted to finish, but the tribute was not really the one we should have paid him. There will be a great moment at Roland-Garros in 2025 for Rafael Nadal," he added.

Rafael Nadal received a prestigious honor recently and shared a brief reaction

Nadal at Mutua Madrid Open - Image Source: Getty

Earlier this month, Spanish sports daily Mundo Deportivo named Rafael Nadal the country's best athlete. The 22-time Grand Slam champion later expressed his gratitude on his Instagram story.

"Muchas Gracias (Thank you so much) @mundodeportivo" Nadal wrote.

Nadal spent 209 weeks as the ATP World No. 1, won the ATP Player of the Year award five times, and remains the only player to hold the top ranking in three separate decades. His dominance and skill also cemented his place in the legendary "Big Three" club alongside Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

Following Nadal's retirement, heartfelt tributes flooded him from the sports fraternity and beyond, marking a poignant moment.