Rafael Nadal Gives Brutal Answer When Asked if his Roland Garros Record Will Ever be Broken

Very few achievements are as unique and unrepeatable as Rafael Nadal’s record at Roland Garros. The Spanish tennis legend has won an astonishing 14 French Open titles—the most by any player at a single Grand Slam event.

In his final press conference at Roland Garros, Nadal was asked if this achievement could ever be repeated. The Spaniard gave a cheeky response that left everyone in stitches.

I always said the same. And even if I know that’s going to be difficult… being honest 😂… but I really feel that if I did it, I don’t consider myself someone very very special. Another one is gonna come and they’re gonna achieve that too. Putting in perspective that a lot of things need to happen in your favor to make that happen. You need a long career. You can’t have a lot of injuries.. even if I did. I only retired here once in 2016. But you can’t have injuries. You can’t have very very bad days. So you need some luck too. To win 14 Grand Slams in the same place here at Roland Garros. That can happen, but it’s gonna take a while. At least 30 more years.

Rafael Nadal said in Roland Garros ceremony

Before Nadal and the Big Three era, Pete Sampras held the record for most Grand Slam titles with 14. That Nadal achieved the same number at just one event adds a remarkable layer of significance.

Rafa Nadal was asked how he would feel if someone broke his record of 14 Roland Garros titles, ‘That can happen, but it’s gonna take a while.. At least 30 more years’ 😂

“You spent all your life trying to get the most out of yourself. You got to 14 Roland Garros titles. How… pic.twitter.com/7VjKanan07

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 26, 2025

His first title came in 2005, when he defeated Mariano Puerta in four sets. His last came in 2022, when he beat Casper Ruud in straight sets.

Former World No.1 considers Rafael Nadal’s uncle, Toni, as the ‘coach of the century’

Swedish tennis legend Mats Wilander has hailed Toni Nadal, Rafael Nadal’s uncle and longtime coach, as the “coach of the century” for his immense influence on the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s career.

Uncle Toni would most probably be the single most important person in Rafael Nadal’s tennis life, because he’s played with him since he was a little kid. Uncle Toni was able to take Rafa from a little kid to win the French Open and to win Wimbledon, and the other two, the US Open and Australian Open. hat’s got to be coach of the century in Toni Nadal. The bond that they share has been unbelievable. Every time you saw Rafa play, you could feel that he was always listening to Toni, looking at Toni.

Mats Wilander said on TNT Sports

Following Rafa’s retirement in November 2024, Roland Garros honored him with a moving farewell on the opening day of the 2025 French Open. The emotional tribute took place on Court Philippe-Chatrier, attended by tennis legends and current stars, including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Carlos Alcaraz, and Iga Swiatek.

During the ceremony, Rafa expressed gratitude to those who supported his journey, offering heartfelt praise for Toni. Toni had coached him from childhood until 2017, guiding him to 16 Grand Slam titles—10 of which were won at Roland Garros.

Under Toni’s mentorship, Rafa also achieved a Career Golden Slam, claimed 30 ATP Masters 1000 titles, and spent over 150 weeks as the world No. 1, firmly establishing himself as one of the greatest players in history.

Rafael Nadal’s prize money revealed at Roland Garros

22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal received an emotional farewell at the French Open on Sunday, marking the end of an extraordinary era at Roland Garros. The Court Philippe Chatrier crowd honored the “King of Clay” with a heartfelt ceremony, which many felt was a more fitting tribute than his earlier send-off at the Davis Cup last year.

Legends of the sport, including Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray, were present to celebrate Nadal’s legacy at the tournament where he made history. Over the course of 19 appearances, the Spaniard won 14 French Open titles — the most ever by a player at a single Grand Slam event in the Open Era.

Nadal’s first win at the French Open came in 2005 when he was just 19 years old, earning him €880,000. Seventeen years later, he captured his final Roland Garros title in 2022, which came with a prize of €2,200,000. In total, he collected €21,800,000 in prize money from the event alone.

This French Open earnings total represents around 18.4% of Nadal’s entire career prize money, which stands at $134,946,100. That incredible figure highlights just how dominant and successful he was on the Parisian clay, securing his place in tennis history.