April 17 (UPI) — A ceremony honoring retired tennis icon Rafael Nadal will be held at Roland Garros during the 2025 French Open, organizers of the Paris-based Grand Slam announced Thursday.
The ceremony will be held May 25. Main draw play for the 2025 French Open will be May 25 to June 8 in Paris. Nadal, who retired in November, won a record 14 French Open singles titles.
“To mark Rafa’s first season post-retirement, a ceremony will take place following the conclusion of the day session’s three fixtures,” organizers said in a news release.
“An immersive and entertaining exhibition dedicated to the legendary Spaniard will also run for the duration of the tournament at the Roland-Garros Tenniseum.”
Organizers also plan to pay tribute to Mary Pierce and Richard Gasquet. Pierce will be honored on the 25th anniversary of her twin singles and doubles titles from the 200 French Open. That ceremony will be held June 5, between women’s semifinal matches.
Gasquet, who will retire from tennis after the tournament, will be honored after his final match.
Nadal, 38, made his professional tennis debut in 2001. He won the French Open nine times in 10 years from 2005 to 2014. Nadal won five more French Open titles in six years from 2017 through 2022.
He finished his career with 22 Grand Slam singles crowns, the second most in the history of men’s tennis, trailing only Novak Djokovicwho has 24.
“See you soon, Paris,” Nadal wrote Thursday on X.
