Nadal is known as The King of Clay for a reason: 14 of his 22 major titles came at Roland-Garros. The Spaniard won his first French Open in 2005, just days after his 19th birthday, before going on an unprecedented run at the tournament over the following two decades. Nadal won his final French Open in 2022, days after turning 36.

Roland Garros opened with tears, chants and a sea of brick-red T-shirts reading 'Merci Rafa' as the French Open paid an emotional tribute on Sunday to Rafael Nadal, the man who conquered its courts like no other.

Nadal, a 14-time Roland Garros champion whose record may never be surpassed, was honored by tennis rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

Roland Garros will pay tribute to its greatest champion with a ceremony for the retired Rafael Nadal on Sunday, while Aryna Sabalenka got her French Open campaign up and running with an emphatic victory.

A tennis nation with an eye for the spectacular is getting closer to refuting the idea that it is all showmanship and no substance