Rafael Nadal is gearing up to bid farewell to tennis, leaving a legacy at Roland-Garros that no other player will likely equal. The 38-year-old has revealed his intention to conclude his remarkable career next month at the Davis Cup finals in Malaga, aiming to secure victory for Spain for the fifth and final time.
While it is apt for the 22-time Grand Slam champion to say goodbye to the sport on his home turf, the icon arguably felt most at home at Roland-Garros in France. The ‘King of Clay’ clinched the French Open 14 times, with his extraordinary record reflecting only one loss at the Paris major between 2005 and 2014.
His last appearance at the stadium was during the Paris Olympics, and he also celebrated his most recent Grand Slam triumph at the 2022 French Open. Nadal has received a flood of praise and tributes from his fiercest competitors and other tennis legends.
However, the staff at Stade Roland-Garros, who have interacted with the legend for years, claim to know Nadal’s ‘true’ persona away from the limelight.
In 2018, French publication L’Equipe carried out a series of interviews with the staff at Roland-Garros. Linda, a stenographer who transcribed press conferences, revealed how the Spanish star consistently exhibited a touch of class before addressing the media.
“When he arrives at a conference, he always says hello and winks at me. During the first interview of the tournament, he always comes and asks me how I’m doing,” she revealed. “The other players say hello and goodbye, but he makes it personal. He always answers the questions very seriously and then suddenly says something funny. Someone asked him, ‘Who is Roland Garros? ‘ and he replied, ‘I’ve never met him’. And his smile is very infectious.”
Despite being a serial winner, Nadal’s attention isn’t solely on tennis, as driver Aurelien Pajot found out. Their shared passion for football led to an enduring friendship beyond the courts of Roland-Garros, with Nadal often presenting Pajot with a farewell gift.
Over time, a bond was forged. When we met every year, we would give each other a big hug,” Pajot recounted to L’Equipe. “Sometimes we would send each other a few messages to wish each other a happy new year and to see how the family was doing.
“We hardly ever talked about tennis, more about football, possible transfers, Real Madrid, and so on. Several times, when we were saying goodbye after taking him to the airport, he would offer me a gift, his bag, a pair of signed shoes, without me asking him for anything.
