Potential French Open farewell attracts fans from around the world

PARIS (AP) — They traveled from everywhere — from Europe and Oceania, from North America and South America — to be at Roland Garros on Monday, intending to watch Rafael Nadal play what turned out to be his only match at Roland Garros this year. And it may be his last.

Nadal, who has won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam trophies in Paris, lost 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 on the second day of the tournament on Court Philippe Chatrier to the No. °4 Alexander Zverev. Tennis fans wanted to be present for what appeared to be a monumental occasion, although Nadal said afterward there remained a chance to return.

They were there to watch Nadal compete, of course, but also to salute him as a player and a person, to congratulate him on his remarkable career and, perhaps, to catch one last glimpse of his greatness at a tournament that helped define his legacy. .

“He’s my favorite tennis player. Maybe when he retires I’ll find someone new. But I don’t know if I will give as much love to the next person,” said Fiona Li, a 35-year-old who works in luxury fashion in the Netherlands. “His power is that he doesn’t never gives up. He encourages me when I’m really down. He fights until the last minute. That’s what we need in everyday life. When you’re sad or something, you watch him play. and everything is resolved.

Li, who said she has been a fan of Nadal since 2005, the year he won his first Roland Garros title as a teenager, made sure to stop by Nadal’s statue of 3 meters high (about 10 feet high) which was unveiled in 2021 and is located between one of the main entrances to the tournament and the 15,000-seat Chatrier stadium.

Wearing a makeshift tiara made from four yellow tennis balls – each with a letter to spell “Rafa” – Li posed for photos in front of the statue with three friends, one Australian and two Chinese. Each member of the quartet wore a red T-shirt with a yellow capital letter of their first name. One of them displayed a red and yellow Spanish flag on which was engraved “King of Roland Garros”.

“Vamos Rafa!” they shouted in unison.

Nadal turns 38 on June 3 and has indicated, amid a series of hip and abdominal muscle injuries, that he will retire at some point in 2024. When a reporter told him Saturday that Most people assume it will be his Farewell to Roland Garros, he smiled and said: “Don’t assume.”

So who knows what the future holds? The whole thing has a bit of the same atmosphere as at the 2022 US Open, when the world knew that Serena Williams was participating in what would be her last event, and that she was celebrated by enthusiastic crowds.

Likewise, many people yearned to soak up the atmosphere and get as close as possible to Nadal, or even just to the symbols of Nadal – whether by visiting this larger-than-life steel monument dedicated to him , taking a look at a practice or purchasing merchandise. .

The main store on site has a special section on the ground floor with Nadal-branded items, including a range of hats available in six colors and costing 35 euros each (about $38).

Even Julio Parada, a 49-year-old Bolivian banker, wanted a photo in front of the statue – while wearing a green hat with “RF” on it, representing Roger Federer.

“I like both. I actually prefer Roger, but Rafa was the toughest rival he ever faced,” said Parada, competing in his first Grand Slam tournament with his wife Karina and son Julio , studying in Germany “We made the effort to see Nadal, because we are aware that it may be his last Roland-Garros.”

Barbra Chambati, 49, and her daughter Crystal, 25, also held tickets for Nadal against Zverev. Mom wore a salmon-colored top with Nadal’s bull horns logo. Crystal wore a white T-shirt – bought two days ago on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées – showing a photo of Nadal brandishing his fist.

They tried to attend a practice session on Court 3 a few hours before Monday’s match, but couldn’t get in because it was too crowded. Still, it was a pleasure just to see him pass by afterwards.

“He has a lot of money, but we won’t know it because of his humility. He has connections with anyone,” said Barbra Chambati, a food factory manager, who says she is originally from Zimbabwe and has lived in New Zealand for two decades. “We are very grateful that for so many years he gave his all for our enjoyment.”

Their trip included a 17-hour flight from Auckland to Dubai, a stopover and a 7-hour flight from Dubai to Paris.

“It’s a little long, but it’s worth it,” Barbra Chambati said. “We wouldn’t change it for anything.”

They were part of a tennis tour group that included Cathy Davis, a 75-year-old retiree from Toronto, who wore a purple hat with the bull logo.

She proclaimed herself “supreme Rafa fan”.

For what?

“He’s a shooter. I love the aerial smash; he’s the king of that. His forehand down the line. Cross lapel. And now he’s coming to the net,” Davis said. “On the court, more intensity. Other than that, very humble. Kind. He’s one thing on the field and someone a little different off it.

As with Williams just under two years ago in New York, no one could know for sure before Monday’s match how long Nadal would stay in the draw over those two weeks.

Li, for his part, was prepared. She said she purchased tickets for the sold-out event.

“No matter how far he goes,” she said before watching Nadal against Zverev, “I’ll be there.”

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Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis editor since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich

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AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis