Nadal is known as The King of Clay for a reason: 14 of his 22 major titles came at Roland-Garros. The Spaniard won his first French Open in 2005, just days after his 19th birthday, before going on an unprecedented run at the tournament over the following two decades. Nadal won his final French Open in 2022, days after turning 36.

Nadal, a 14-time Roland Garros champion whose record may never be surpassed, was honored by tennis rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

Roland Garros opened with tears, chants and a sea of brick-red T-shirts reading 'Merci Rafa' as the French Open paid an emotional tribute on Sunday to Rafael Nadal, the man who conquered its courts like no other.

Roland Garros will pay tribute to its greatest champion with a ceremony for the retired Rafael Nadal on Sunday, while Aryna Sabalenka got her French Open campaign up and running with an emphatic victory.

Fourteen-time French Open winner Rafael Nadal is honoured by the return of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in an emotional ceremony at Roland-Garros.

The loudest cheers came when Federer, Djokovic and Murray stepped onto the hallowed clay court to share a few words and laughs with Nadal after the Spaniard had welled up watching a video of his greatest moments.

Heading into the French Open, an argument could be made that the headlines about tennis lately have been as, or more, intriguing off the court — and in the court of law — than on the court of play.