The King of Clay Rafael Nadal won’t be playing at Roland Garros this year, but his voice is the star of the tournament’s official teaser trailer.
Nadal is also set to be felicitated during the tournament that it’s director Amélie Mauresmo has promised will be “exceptional”.
But first, his voice is being heard. In the 45-second clip, that ends with a tight close-up of him, posted to Roland Garros’ social media channels two weeks ahead of the start of the main draw, Nadal reads a poem to go with dreamy visuals from the tournament.
These are the words said by Rafa.
“Only where love is written in capital letters, only the clay where champions fight, only the glide, the power, only the endurance until the night, only where tennis and everyone rhyme, only where hats fit all heads, only where the clay marks passion in red, only where rituals leave a trace, only a stage for courage and fire, only here where all dreams transpire, only at Roland-Garros,” Nadal says in his narration.
Watch and listen to the Rafael Nadal trailer in full below.
Only at #RolandGarros
Narrated by @RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/6O7ZYbkG7Z— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 12, 2025
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Talking about honoring Nadal at the French Open, French Open director Amélie Mauresmo said: “Rafa has left his mark on the history of the French Open in so many ways, that’s why a tribute ceremony will be held in his honor. We want the tribute to be special, exceptional. We want it to be a surprise for everyone.”
“We wanted to do the tribute last year, to be transparent, but he refused at the time,” Mauresmo added. “He wasn’t sure that it was his last Roland Garros. Now that he is retired, he is happy to receive it.”
Nadal holds the record for the most French Open titles with 14. His last appearance at the tournament was in 2024 when he lost to Alexander Zverev in the first round.