Rafael Nadal Claims French Open Crowd ‘Wanted Roger Federer to Win’ Ahead of Tribute Ceremony in Paris

Rafael Nadal hung up his racket at the Davis Cup last year after Spain's defeat to the Netherlands.

Rafael Nadal Claims French Open Crowd ‘Wanted Roger Federer to Win’ Ahead of Tribute Ceremony in Paris

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (via X/The Tennis Letter)

When Rafael Nadal was a newcomer, the French Open crowd wanted him to lose to see Roger Federer win the title. This was what the ‘King of Clay’ claimed just a few days before the second Grand Slam tournament of the season.

Before he won his first Grand Slam title at the 2005 French Open, Federer had multiple of these trophies under his belt so he definitely was entering the French Open as one of the favorites. Nadal confessed during an interview with Eurosport Spain that during those years, he felt the French crowd did not support him much.

But it’s true that during the first two years I was there, I felt like the crowd wanted Roger to win. That’s the feeling I had at the time. So, in a way, they wanted me to lose because they probably thought that if I lost, Roger would have a better chance. Roger won in 2009, and after that, I think the crowd started treating me in a completely different way.

Of course, the crowd’s behavior changed when he started winning the clay-court Major one after the other and later ended his career as the King of Clay with 14 French Opens. Nadal will receive a surprise retirement ceremony on Sunday.

Last year, he had refused to have a ceremony in his favorite tournament as he had not made up his mind about retirement. He announced his retirement on social media in October and the next month, at the Davis Cup in Malaga, he played his career’s last match, against Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in the quarterfinal tie against eventual runner-up Netherlands.

Carlos Alcaraz recalls playing doubles with Rafael Nadal at the Paris Olympics

Rafael Nadal, before retiring from the Davis Cup, participated in his last Olympics. He played singles and lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the second round.

Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz
Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

In doubles, his and Carlos Alcaraz‘s campaign ended in the quarterfinals. Alcaraz has landed in Paris for the French Open and during an interview with Roland Garros, he recalled the experience of partnering with Nadal in the Olympics.

Rafa is an exceptional person, very humble. When you meet him for the first time, he’s just someone like you and me. It was really incredible to be so close to my idol, to learn by his side, and also to rub shoulders with him as a person. I had an exceptional experience.

In singles, the four-time Grand Slam champion reached the final but despite giving his all, he couldn’t cross the final hurdle in the form of 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who then clinched his career’s first gold medal. Alcaraz recently lifted the Italian Open for the first time after upsetting World No.1 Jannik Sinner, ending his 26-match winning streak as well as taking a 7-4 lead in the head-to-head matchups.

It was also the Spaniard’s fourth consecutive win over the three-time Grand Slam champion. The French Open draw is out, and Alcaraz is the defending champion. Last year, he lifted his career’s first clay-court Major by defeating World No.3 Alexander Zverev. En route to his five-set victory over the German, Alcaraz knocked out Sinner in five sets in the semifinals. He will be kick-starting his campaign against Kei Nishikori.

He is projected to meet two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals, last year’s US Open finalist Taylor Fritz in the semifinals, and Djokovic, Sinner, or Zverev in the championship match. So far in the season, the 22-year-old lifted three titles as before Rome, he won the Rotterdam Open and the Monte Carlo Masters.

Also read: Rafael Nadal’s Ex-Coach Carlos Moya Responds to Rumors That He Has Agreed to Coach Jannik Sinner from 2026