Rafael Nadal Wins French Open

Nadal's last French Open? It should be similar to Serena's last US Open

If this is, as expected, Rafael Nadal's final French Open, it will be one that everyone the 37-year-old Spaniard included surely will remember vividly. No matter how healthy the guy everyone calls "Rafa" might be. No matter how long his stay in the bracket lasts. No matter whether he somehow adds another championship at Roland Garros to the record 14 he owns. Narrator: Not even Nadal truly believes that is possible. Indeed, as of Wednesday morning, he had not announced definitely whether he would be in the field, although he showed up on-site to practice. "I am not negative," he explained. "I am just realistic." Think back just a couple of years ago to Serena Williams' farewell at the US Open. That's the sort of atmosphere and adoration likely to be on display whenever Nadal swings a racket or simply strolls around the compact-for-a-Grand-Slam-grounds in the southwest section of Paris where the clay-court tournament begins Sunday. "I cannot predict what kind of emotions I am goi

Nadal returns to Roland Garros to practice amid doubts over his fitness

Rafael Nadal returned to Roland Garros on Monday to practice and try to figure out whether to compete at the French Open, a tournament he has won a record 14 times. The 37-year-old Spaniard showed up late in the afternoon with his coach, Carlos Moya, and a couple of sparring partners at Court Philippe Chatrier, which was open to the public. About 6,000 fans were there at the French Open's main stadium, cheering loudly as Nadal stepped onto the court. After the practice, which lasted about an hour and a half, Nadal signed several autographs before disappearing through a doorway and into a tunnel that leads toward the locker rooms. The training session gave Nadal a chance to reacquaint himself with the red clay at Roland Garros he hasn't played a match there in two years and test his fitness. The tournament begins on Sunday and it remains uncertain if Nadal will enter. He is still regaining his match readiness after missing nearly all of 2023 with a hip injury that required surger

Nadal shows he's not ready for retirement in comeback win at Italian Open

For a brief stretch on Thursday, Rafael Nadal looked every bit of a weary 37-year-old player nearing retirement. Struggling to produce pace off both sides with his groundstrokes, committing an uncharacteristically high number of unforced errors and unable to stay in rallies, Nadal dropped the first set of his first-round match at the Italian Open against Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs. Then the fist-pumping, virtually-unbeatable-on-clay, 22-time Grand Slam champion version of Nadal emerged and the Spaniard rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory before an adoring crowd in what will likely be his final tournament at the Foro Italico. Nadal was playing only his 10th match this year after missing nearly all of 2023 with a hip injury that required surgery. He's hoping to be competitive one last time at the French Open, where he is the record 14-time champion. That was not my best match. I was practicing better than how I played today, without a doubt. But I found a way to win," Nadal said.

King of clay: Why Nadal's 14 French Open title wins make him the GOAT

The importance of this French Open title win for the 36-year-old can be gauged from the fact that now Nadal's French Open titles are equal to Pete Sampras' total career slam titles put together

French open 2017: Rafael Nadal outclasses Wawrinka to win 'La Decima'

Nadal becomes the first man or woman in the Open era to have won a Grand Slam tournament 10 times