“Of course, this day, at the end, to receive a tribute like I received today in Paris, in Roland Garros, in France is something very special,” he acknowledged.

“Because first of all, I am Spanish, you know. And they make me feel when I was playing here the last, let’s say 12, 15 years, they make me feel like one more French player.”

And on Sunday, they gave him a proper French send-off. On the same court where he had endured the most resistance, fans were now effusive with their applause and rose quickly to their feet for the 14-time champion. They chanted his name. They packed the fans wearing white or terre-battue colored tees arranged to spell messages “❤️ Rafa ❤️” and “14 RG”.

Nadal took it all in. With his son, Rafa Junior, on his hip, he made one final lap around Chatrier—and walked off court for the final time.

Just as his Roland Garros debut had been delayed due to injury, so too was his farewell. Last year, he suffered a first-round loss here but left the door open for a possible 2025 return. This time, there was no ambiguity, and he was finally feted in Paris the way he deserved.