Maria Sharapova recently shared a touching message for Rafael Nadal after witnessing his emotional farewell ceremony at the 2025 French Open. The tribute took place on the opening day of the tournament, May 25.
Nadal created a legacy like no other at Roland Garros, winning the title a record 14 times, something no one else has done. He played his last Grand Slam match here last year, and this time, the tournament honored him for nearly 20 years of dominance on the Paris clay.
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray were all present at the ceremony, bringing together the iconic ‘Big Four’ once again. Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, and Simona Halep also attended, wearing the ‘Merci Rafa’ T-shirts just like thousands of fans at Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Although Sharapova wasn’t there in person, she watched the entire ceremony and later shared her emotions through an Instagram story. She wrote:
“This was so moving. And so perfect. And so so deserved. All of it.”
Maria Sharapova via Instagram
Maria Sharapova via Instagram
Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal have shared a good bond over the years. Their connection began early in their careers in the 2000s, and they’ve appeared together at many promotional events.
Rafael Nadal: “I don’t miss much tennis”
Rafael Nadal pictured at the 2025 French Open | Image Source: Getty
Rafael Nadal announced his retirement in October last year and officially played his final match at the Davis Cup Finals in November, representing Spain in Malaga.
Since then, Nadal has been focusing on his family, business ventures, and life off the court. However, he made sure to reserve time for a special tribute at the French Open yesterday.
After the ceremony, he attended a press conference where he opened up about his mindset. He shared that he isn’t feeling bored since retiring and, surprisingly, doesn’t miss playing tennis, for now at least.
“I am having fun,” Nadal said. “I don’t miss much tennis, because I feel that I’ve given all what I had. I arrive today with the peace that I can’t be on court. You know, my body doesn’t allow me to be on court. So that’s all. I am at peace.”
The 22-time Grand Slam champion’s legacy is now a part of Court Philippe-Chatrier forever, with his footprint etched into the clay as a special tribute to everything he’s achieved there.
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Pritha Ghosh
Pritha is one of the driving forces behind Sportskeeda’s tennis & baseball coverage, serving as an assistant content manager and editor. What began as a casual escape from her tiring biotechnology degree course in early 2022 has blossomed into a passion she loves, cherishes, and breathes every day.
Pritha’s love for the sport was spawned by her dad who showed her clips of “GOAT” Steffi Graf’s matches. Despite a thwarted dream of playing professionally due to injury, she finds solace in reporting the sport, while also mentoring other writers to ensure every article is error-free and top-notch. She double checks credible sources, such as the tournament/player handles and big tennis media outlets, and gives proper credit where required.
Pritha’s journey at Sportskeeda is marked by nearly 2000 articles and close to 12 million views, with the “dream-come-true” moment of having her article shared by Chris Evert serving as a highlight of her career. A lifelong Wimbledon fan, Pritha also adores Rafael Nadal, Elena Rybakina, and Naomi Osaka.
When she’s not seeking unique angles to elevate tennis coverage at Sportskeeda, she loves to channel her inner astrophysics “nerd” by exploring new sci-fi series and movies. A big Lionel Messi, Lewis Hamilton, and Randy Orton fan, she is always ready to engage in sports conversations anytime, anywhere, albeit not without a cup of coffee.