French Open plans grand opening-day tribute for retired Rafael Nadal

PARIS – The French Open will pay tribute to record 14-time champion Rafael Nadal on the opening day of the Grand Slam in May, a year after the Spaniard played his final match on the clay of Roland Garros, the organisers said on April 17.

He fell to his earliest French Open exit after a first-round defeat by Alexander Zverev last season, but did not say then if it was the last time that his adoring Parisian fans would watch him in action at the Major.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion eventually called time on his glittering career after representing Spain in the Davis Cup in November, and will now return to his happiest hunting ground for a grand celebration of his achievements.

“Rafa made history at Roland Garros and his 14 titles will perhaps remain unequalled,” tournament director and two-time Grand Slam champion Amelie Mauresmo told reporters. “The ceremony in honour of Rafa will take place at the end of the day session on May 25 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

“The idea is to have a vision for the future and also to celebrate those who thrilled us in the past.”

The French Open said it would also honour its 2000 women’s champion Mary Pierce as well as fellow local favourite Richard Gasquet, who will retire after the coming tournament.

The total prize pool for the May 25 to June 8 tournament has been set at €56.35 million (S$84.06 million), up 5.21 per cent from 2024, Mauresmo added.

Significant pay hikes at the Grand Slams were central to the demands of the world’s top players in their letter to the four Slams recently and the French Open has said it will be open to constructive meetings.

Meanwhile, French Tennis Federation chief Gilles Moretton said the Slam would not break tradition and replace line judges with electronic line calling despite the other Majors embracing the technology more widely.

Wimbledon will adopt electronic line calling from this season, joining the US Open and the Australian Open.

Roland Garros has not favoured a similar move despite the availability of electronic line calling technology specific to clay courts, as traces left by the ball on the surface can help umpires with their decision-making.

“I think we are right to keep our referees and linesmen at Roland Garros. The federation wants to keep our referees for as long as we can,” Moretton said. “I hope we’ll be able to maintain it in our tournaments in the future.”

At the Munich ATP event, German world No. 3 Zverev returned to the semi-finals for the first time since winning back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018, after beating the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.

In Barcelona, Spanish top seed and world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz entered the semi-finals by defeating Australia’s Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-3. But Dane Holger Rune ended Norwegian Casper Ruud’s title defence with a 6-4, 6-2 win. REUTERS