ROLAND GARROS

May 25, 2025

Rafael Nadal

Press Conference

(Applause.)

THE MODERATOR: To get us started, Rafa, an exceptional ceremony. Still have goose bumps from earlier. Can you tell us what went through your mind, how you felt on the court of Philippe Chatrier earlier.

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, of course, I have been very, very emotional. I think was perfect, honestly. I couldn't expect a more emotional day. So I can't thank enough to the president, Gilles, to Amelie, and all the people who made that day possible, honestly.

It has been unforgettable, plenty of emotions for a guy like me that, you know, I don't love these kind of things because I'm still a little bit shy for all this stuff. You know, I don't like a lot to be the center of attention for these things. It was enough when I was playing tennis. But I enjoyed it, honestly. I suffered a little bit with the emotions, but I enjoyed a lot.

Hey, it was amazing. So yeah, thank you very much to everyone for make that day happen.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Did you expect this plate with your footprint? Were you surprised? What emotion did you feel?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I didn't know, of course, honestly. To answer a possible future question, I didn't know anything about the ceremony. Only thing that I knew before going there is going to be video when I go on, then gonna be my speech, and then gonna be a couple of surprises. But they didn't want me to know that.

Then when I see that, I thought was going to be just for this year. Knowing that's going to be forever there, yeah, it's a present that I can't describe in words.

But for me it was and it is and it's always going to be a huge honor and very, very emotional to have this spot on the most important court of my tennis career, without a doubt.

It's difficult to describe the feeling, but it's something that really touched me, yeah. Very, very special. Thank you.

Q. Seeing the emotion from the crowd but also Roger, Novak, Andy with you here, is it one of these moments you never realized how much you meant for this sport and what an incredible page of history you have written?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, of course, this day, at the end, to receive tribute like I received today in Paris, in Roland Garros, in France is something very special, no?

Because first of all, I am Spanish, you know. And they make me feel when I was playing here the last, let's say 12, 15 years, they make me feel like one more French player. That's the true.

After all the respect and the love that they show me, the crowd, but not only the crowd, the organizers, let's say, let's talk about the Olympic Games, give me the possibility to receive the Olympic torch from Zizou in that spot, in that moment of the ceremony, shows how much the country and this city respect me. You can't imagine how emotional and how big in terms of happiness and personal satisfaction that represents for me.

So have my three biggest rivals there in the court with me meant a lot, no? And at the same time it's a great message for the world, I think, no, that best rivals, toughest rivalries probably in the history of our sport are able to be good colleagues, to respect each other. You don't need to hate the opponent to try to beat him with all your forces.

And that's the message that I think we showed people, we showed the new generations, and in some way that's our legacy. The results are there, but at the same time the results are just results. Rest of the things stays.

Q. Was the three of them being here one of those surprises?

RAFAEL NADAL: Sorry, say again?

Q. Did you know that those three rivals of yours were going to be here, or was that one of the surprises?

RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't know, but I could imagine that they come (laughter). That's true.

The agendas of the people sometimes are difficult. But of course probably they know that they gonna make that day very special and that day gonna be very special for me.

Novak is playing here, so it's easier. But in the same time Andy and Roger that just came on purpose mean a lot to me, because at the end they represent a very important part of my tennis career, because in some way we pushed each other to the limits, as I said in my speech. And that's the true.

I think I always say the same, because we were three, four of the best rivals. In some way when you are only two, you know, you can lose a little bit the motivation in some way sometimes because the other start losing or gets injured.

But here, being four, you know, you never had to imagine, because always one of that four was winning the tournament. So that, to put in perspective, never allowed us to stay relaxed or to give us the break in terms of intensity, in terms of the determination of keep improving our game.

So I think within us, we show us the way to follow to be better and better. We achieved our dreams. And probably because of that kind of rivalry we raise the numbers of the history of tennis to the next level. And that helps to the next generations to try to improve them. And I'm sure that's going to happen.

Q. Congrats, and thank you. At the end of the tribute, we saw you talking with Andy, Roger, and Novak, the four of you together. What did you say to them, if you agreed to tell it?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, asking about life, families. You know, my good friend Andy that we were not in touch for a while, the day that Arsenal beat Real Madrid, when the match just finished, after one second, he text me a message, telling me...

I gonna read, because it's quite good (laughter). I feel that it's quite interesting.

Hey, Rafa, haven't spoken to you in a while. Just checking in to make sure you are okay.

So honestly, take me like five seconds to realize what I was reading, because at the beginning, I said, Okay, he's such a nice guy. He's asking about how I'm doing, family. After five seconds, I said, This always British sense of humor (laughter).

By the way, I didn't text him back when Inter beat Arsenal. Well, PSG, sorry.

Q. It was difficult not to cry for you, but also for many people who saw you when you were 16 winning in Monte-Carlo against Albert Costa, 7-5, 6-3 in the evening, artificial lights when everybody almost had left because there was a party that night, and you beat the winner of Roland Garros the year before. We have to thank you, because you say thanks to everyone, but we, as journalists, we have to thank you for what you gave us. You have been a hero of this sport, and it was difficult not to praise you for what you have done.

RAFAEL NADAL: Thank you. Thank you very much.

Q. I know your relationship in general with the journalists, but you had to see them quite a lot. Sometimes we were bothering you with questions, with interviews, asking one on one. But I think the relationship between us and you were normally great. I don't know if you agree. I was crying too.

RAFAEL NADAL: Thank you very much, Ubaldo. Well, thank you for that. I think we had always a good relationship. I thank everyone, but it's true, because I felt very well respected from most of you during all my career.

And it's true that tennis players are more exposed than almost any other sport, you know, because at the end, we tend you before every tournament, we tend you after every single match, doesn't matter we win, we lose. So we come here and we answer your questions. In other sports like football or popular sports, they don't have to do it every single day.

But in some way, that I think is a very positive learning, because at the end, it's about self-control, it's about learn how you deal with sometimes tough situations, sometimes with moments of frustration. But at the same time, you have to come here and be respectful for everyone.

I feel very well respected from all of you. I hope you felt the same way from my side. I tried, and it's always... Nothing is perfect. We did things better, things worse, but I tried my best to be nice and to be respectful with all of you.

Q. The fans and the media, we do remember the 14 titles you had. We remember the matches, the semifinals, the finals, et cetera. I wanted to know if you are this kind of guy that does remember the second round in '06, semifinal in '08, et cetera. Do you remember clearly all your matches? If yes, what was the most hard and the most emotional among the 14?

RAFAEL NADAL: I tell you one funny thing. I was this kind of guy that I remembered every single point almost, but I lost that privilege years ago. It's true. I don't forget.

I don't remember most of the things. I used to remember a lot, every tournament, every game. Now not anymore. It's true, probably because I closed that chapter of my life.

But if I have to choose an edition in terms of, let's say, let me choose a couple of editions, couple of years, because one it's difficult.

But 2006 was so special for me after coming back from my very tough foot injury. That was very, very emotional. People thinks about 2008 because it's true that is the year that I played better, but probably because of that is not one of these years that I remember with high emotions, because I won the tournament without suffering that much.

So for my mentality, I remember more the tournaments that I suffered, the tournaments that I needed to fight a lot. That year I played, I played so well. So I don't have an amazing memory.

Of course 2010, after losing 2009, have been so important for me. And 2012 too, because I almost achieved the Grand Slam of finals, you know. I lost in Wimbledon. I lost in the US Open. I lost in Australia after six hours. Then I was able to break that momentum here, so that was so important for me (smiling).

Yeah, then of course 2020 was unexpected. 2022 was the most, probably the toughest in all ways for all the things that happened before and during the tournament.

So that's the editions that stays forever in my mind more than the rest.

Q. Thank you for everything. I hope you are enjoying your retirement.

RAFAEL NADAL: Thank you.

Q. I want to know about that. How is it like to be a retired tennis legend? What do you do? Your daily routine? How often do you play tennis? You seem to be in very good shape.

RAFAEL NADAL: Not because of my practices of tennis because I didn't catch a racquet yet after my retirement. So it's eight months without being on a tennis court.

But I will. I will be back at some point, because at some point I will prepare myself to play an exhibition or something like this. Even if I had a lot of opportunities to made that, I need to give myself a time of disconnection, you know, because at the end, play exhibitions is not only go there and play the match, it's about all the preparation that requires that. When you play an exhibition you want to show a good level of tennis for the fans and for everybody who organize.

My daily routine is no routine. I have no routine today. I am just learning about the next business chapter of my life that I have. I have projects like my academy, the hotel company, the supplements company that I did with Cantabria Labs. I take care of my foundation too, and I take care of my family. I am discovering what really motivates me for this new life. So it's not easy in terms of choosing your next goal.

But for me, it's so important to have goals in this life, because a life without objectives is more difficult from my point of view. So I am discovering what really excite me and motivates me to keep going. And that's all.

I am having fun. I don't miss much tennis, because I feel that I gived all what I had. I arrive at the day of today with the peace that I can't be on court. You know, my body don't allow me to be on court. So that's all. I am in peace.

I did all what I could to have the best career possible, and now I am enjoying this new phase of my life, that I am sure going to be less exciting than the tennis career, because the adrenalin that the sports gives to you, I think it's impossible to find in other things in life.

But that's don't mean I gonna be less happy. I can be happier with less adrenaline and taking care of different things.

Q. Rafa, as an extension of that, one of the things that really characterized your career was your love of competition and how competitive you were. Do you feel that you will want to find something to really be competitive about in the future in your life?

RAFAEL NADAL: I don't need to compete in a high stages, you know. I tell you something funny. When I retired, for the next few months I lost all my competitive spirit, you know. That's the true. I don't know why. But I was playing golf or anything else, and I didn't care if I lose, if I win, if I play well, if I play bad. Was a strange feeling for me, and not funny (smiling). I didn't like to experience that, being honest, you know, because I understand the sport in other way.

But that's past. I am competitive again. Just to let you know, I am enjoying my daily competitions when I play golf and when I do things, but I think in a much nicer way.

In terms of business, all this stuff, I probably gonna have my motivation to grow the things, to develop things, and to learn about these things. Because at the end I was a tennis player that because of that I was able to get some experience about different facets in life.

But I need to learn a lot of things now. I am in this process and I am excited about learning and improving from the best.

Q. Rafa, you mentioned on court about coming here and winning your first title 20 years ago. I just wondered what your main memories are from that from that 2005 tournament?

RAFAEL NADAL: I didn't mention that?

Q. You mentioned coming here winning the first time 20 years ago. Wondered what your main memories are from that 2005 tournament.

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, was the first tournament I approach with the feeling that something special can happen. Was the first slam that I was one of the candidates.

So I was nervous 100%. But at the same time, when you are 18 years old, you have plenty of energy, and in some way you are less worried about everything, you know. You have this fresh mentality about not thinking much about the negative things that can happen, just thinking about the motivation of play your best, try your best, and winning.

That's what I remember: a guy with plenty of energy, with an amazing passion and motivation for what I was doing.

Q. What do you think about Joao Fonseca?

RAFAEL NADAL: He's a very young player that started his career doing very, very well. He has a great future in front. I wish him all the very best. I met him a couple of times. Seems like he has a very good interaction with his family and people next to him. He's very well educated. I really hope that he has a great future in front.

Q. Thank you so much for everything. You have had this just incredible career from a young boy to just a short while ago. Stepping back, if you could say one quality or two qualities, that one aspect that give you the most satisfaction, the most pride in your incredible career, can you express that?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, in a few words, probably determination. Very important. And that brings to the next things, you know. Passion about every single day that you are going on a practice court. And that spirit of improvement.

I always went on court on every single practice session with the goal to improve, you know. I never went on a tennis court just for practice. You know, I always went on a tennis court with the goal to improve something.

That's one of the keys of my longevity and my success, I think, because I had to face a lot of injuries, so without that spirit of improvement to compensate all the things that I was losing on the road, it would be impossible. So that's what I am prouder about.

Q. You gained the heart of people with your results as a champion but also as the human being you are. When we speak with the ballkids, the drivers, they all say that you were the most respectful player, always nice to everyone. Is this something you maybe are as proud of as your results?

RAFAEL NADAL: Of course. I mean, I always say the same. The results are results, and of course I will be remembered for what I did on court. That's gonna stay there without a doubt.

To the bigger audience, you can, in some way, lie, but you can't lie the people who are next to you every single day. You know, and I don't talk about family that at the end is family. I say about team, I talk about team, about people who work behind the scenes. But they are able to see you every single day how you react, how you are after losing, after winning, how you behave during all these moments, the drivers, the ballkids, you know.

At the end, I want to be remembered as a guy that people are happy when I come back to the places to see me again, you know. That's the thing. That's important thing.

When you are retired where you don't go to the places for a while, if you feel that the people who are working and behind the scenes, they know how you are, real, in real life, these people wants to see you again and are happy to see you again, it's good news (smiling). I had that feeling almost in every place.

Q. Congratulations. It was a special ceremony.

RAFAEL NADAL: Thank you so much, Chris.

Q. I know you spent all of your life pretty much trying to get the most out of yourself every day, improve on yourself, and you got to 14 Roland Garros. How would you feel if somebody else got the most out of themselves and they got to 14?

RAFAEL NADAL: I always said the same, and even if I know, that's going to be difficult, honest. (Laughter.)

I really say and I really feel that if I did it, I don't consider myself somebody very, very special. Another one gonna come and gonna achieve that too. Putting in perspective that a lot of things needs to happen in your favor to make that happen, because you need a long career, because you can't have a lot of injuries, even if I had. I only retired here once in 2016, but was a year that I had my chance, but you can have injuries, you can have very, very bad days.

So you need some luck, too. To win 14 Grand Slams in the same place, here in Roland Garros, that can happen. But gonna takes a while, at least 30 more years. (Laughter.)

Q. Thank you, Rafa. It's been a great privilege to watch you play, to cover you so many years. Thank you for that. 20 years ago, when you came to Roland Garros, could you ever have imagined that 20 years later your name would be on the court and your family, your grandmothers, your son, your wife, your mother and father, entire family would be here to see that moment? What does that mean to you that your name is right there on the court at Chatrier and will always be on that court?

RAFAEL NADAL: Well, I said at the beginning, for me it's impossible to describe in words what represent for me to have this space in the most important court in my life, you know. That's the true. That is as simple as that.

My gratitude to the people who made that happen is infinite. And 20 years ago I was thinking about the next practice, you know. I was thinking about my next tournament, and I never thought about becoming one of the best players of all time or winning Grand Slams or all this stuff. I just worried about trying to improve every single day.

I felt that way during all my career, you know. Probably step by step, that's why I was able to build, to build my career, this successful career. Because I always had doubts, and I never considered myself that good.

And that's the true. Even today I feel that of course numbers are amazing, but I never considered myself somebody special. In a real way. Not trying to be humble. In a real way. Of course my results were there, but every time when I went on court, I had the feeling that I could lose. And I never lost that feeling during all those years.

That's probably sometimes helped me, that feeling, but overall in my long career, without a doubt, that was very important.

Q. Congratulations on the ceremony. You know more than most people the sacrifices to get to the very top of the sport and to stay there for that long and all the things you have to give up to be a professional sportsman. Would you like it if your son were to be a tennis player or a professional sportsman of any kind?

RAFAEL NADAL: If my son lives the tennis career the way that I lived, of course, yes, because as you mentioned about sacrifices, about all the things that you lost to become professional, I never had that feeling, you know. I never had the feeling that I did a lot of sacrifices. I never had the feeling that I lost a part of my life to become professional.

I never lost, in a way, things on when I was a youngster because of tennis. I just was not able to do all the things that my friends were doing every weekend, but I was able to do all the things, and I did it. And at the same time, when you are doing what you want to do, you are not doing sacrifices. You work hard, of course. You push as much as you can. But you do what you want to do.

So let's say if my son feel that way, I will support him. I don't think gonna be the case, but I will support him on anything that he wants to do. But most important thing, from my point of view, is when you do something, you don't have to feel that because you are doing that you are losing a lot of things, because if not, you start from a wrong perspective.

So that's my point of view.