For Rafael Nadal in Paris, a night of love and loss

PARIS – On the evening that possibly, who knows, could be Rafael Nadal’s last performance on a clay court in Paris which should bear his name, something absurd occurred. Before he arrived on court, two gentlemen were getting the crowd to rehearse cheers.

Really? Practising cheers? For an evening of Rafa at Roland Garros?

Silly, no?

For the Spaniard, especially in these final fraught days, affection is naturally and loudly expressed. Didn’t you hear it? In the last game of their doubles quarter-final, with Austin Krajicek of the United States serving for the match, and Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz finally charging, the engineers who built the roof which was closed must have been praying there were sufficient rivets to hold it down. Because the crowd was singing, clapping, yelling and threatening to lift it. 

The umpire tried to calm things, but this was a night for shouting not listening. Later, Nadal softly said: “Honestly, at this stage of my career, I play for emotions more than for results.”

He and Alcaraz lost, both of them together with 26 singles Grand Slam titles, but Krajicek and Rajeev Ram have five doubles Slams between them and have both been to No. 1. The Spaniards are superior athletes, the Americans,

who won 6-2, 6-4 in 98 minutes,

are finer geometricians.

In a bursting stadium, Spanish flag sellers must have done brisk business. There was a scent of hope and a trace of mourning. When the players entered it was to a standing ovation. None of the other three players were confused about who it was for. Later, Alcaraz said: “It’s something I would never forget, playing at the same side of the net with Rafael.”

The Americans broke Nadal in the very first game. A few games later, Ram knocked him over at the net with a shot straight at him. On court, they showed polish. Off court, they revealed their esteem.

I asked Ram that on tour, when they’re talking about Nadal and Roland Garros and those 14 Slams, does it even make sense?

“It doesn’t make sense,” he replied.

“I don’t think you can find a better player or competitor, male, female, in their arena than he is here (in this arena). In the history of sport.”

Alcaraz kept energetically tapping hands. Nadal did his prizefighter bounce on his toes. A breakthrough eluded them. “Let’s go USA,” shouted a brave fellow who was met with boos. The night was thick with humidity or was it emotion? Later a reporter spoke of the crowd’s affection for him and if it was the last time they’d see him on this court.

“Maybe,” Nadal said.

“If that’s the last time for me, it’s an unforgettable feeling and emotions. They give me the love and the support every single second that I have been on court. For me it’s super, super special to feel that particularly in this place. So I can’t really thank enough all of them.”

At 3-3 in the second set, Alcaraz serving at 0-40 they disputed a line call and had a long chat with the umpire. These Spanish fellows, even their disagreements are disarmingly polite. Except they lost the argument, the point, the game.

Nadal and his racket felt all night like Jimi Hendrix with an untuned guitar. His notes were off. Yet when Krajicek came out to serve for the match at 5-4, Nadal ran out and cleared the baseline of dust with his shoe. Till the end, he was a man of order. And, of course, of fight.

Krajicek fell behind quickly and Nadal roared to the crowd. All night the crowd had been waiting for that snarl, that fist. They roared back. He hit a big forehand, then Alcaraz followed and the US were 15-40.

People will take different things from the night but sound might be one of them. It was raw, desperate, joyous, reverential. It sounded like a very loud love song. Later Ram was asked if they blocked out the sound. No, he said, “what a cool atmosphere.”

The Spaniards couldn’t break the Americans and then it was over. Hugs were dispensed. Ram told Nadal at the net it was an honour to play him there. The Spaniard hefted his bag, waved, clapped and was gone. Theatrics was never his thing.

Like matches themselves, there is no tidy finish to careers. Nadal’s answers had no finality, only a sense of proportion. “I feel so lucky that I have been able to win a (Olympic) gold in singles (in 2008) because at the end it’s the most difficult event to win, because you have just a few chances in your career.”

This Games people have come to celebrate him and he has treasured it. “(The) amazing atmosphere is something that I bring back home. I won enough in my career, no? I won much more than what I ever dreamed. So for me it’s about enjoying different experiences.”

On this eventful night what he was feeling for tennis was really what tennis was feeling about him.

Grateful. No?