ATP
French Open 2025 Men’s Day 1
Rafael Nadal made an emotional goodbye to the spiritual home of his tennis on Sunday as the French Open honoured their 14-time champion with a retirement ceremony.
On hand were longtime rivals Roger Federer, Andy Murray and the still-active Novak Djokovic, who Nadal greeted with hugs on court.
.“We competed as hard as we could against each…and were still respectful colleagues,” he said. “We show the world that we can fight as hard as possible, but in a good way, being good colleagues and respect each other very well.
“We all achieved our dreams, it means a lot to have all of you here. You really gave me some hard times on court.
“But tennis is just a game, Having you here means everything.”
The “Three Musketeers” become Four as Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray joined in the celebrations.
Photo Roger Parker International Sports Fotos
The French federation also honoured Nadal with a commemorative glass trophy with the word “Legend” and the player’s signature etched onto it.
The Chatrier court now features a plaque inlaid into the clay with Nadal’s footprint in honour of the Spaniard’s 14 titles at the venue.
Photo Roger Parker International Sports Fotos
The 38-year-old, who celebrates a birthday within days, officially ended his career after November’s Davis Cup Final in Spain but Roland Garros officials could not let the king of clay step away without staging a ceremony.
Fans on the showcase Chatrier court also said their goodbyes to the player who completed his first match on the showcourt exactly 20 years ago to the day.
“I don’t know how to begin,, I have infinite gratitude to Roland Garros for giving me this farewell. This is without a doubt the most important tournament of my career,” Nadal said as he addressed the crowd in French, English and Spanish standing alone at the centre of the court.
“It’s been an incredible story that began in 2004 (when he could not make his debut due to injury which saw him leave on crutches).
“I dreamed of coming back the next year. In 2005 I was finally able to play here for the first time when I played friend and childhood rival Richard Gasquet (third round).
.”That was when I fully understood what Roland Garros signified. I experienced everything in these 20 years and had incredible rivals like Andy, Novak and Roger who pushed me to my physical and mental limits.
“It would not have been the same without these long-lasting rivalries. Roland Garros is a fundamental part of tennis history.”
On court on opening day, American 12th seed Tommy Paul, semi-finalist this month in Rome, took a 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Dane Almer Moller, a lucky loser from qualifying rounds.
The 21-year-old making a name with his unorthodox wingspread backhand was competing in his first main draw at a major, stretching Paul to three hours on court..
“It was a weird match from the jump with the wind and the rain on and off, it being a little colder,” Paul said.
“He came out playing well, he came out ready to go.
“I started a little slow, also a little nervous. After that first set, I felt like I was able to loosen up and really start playing my game a bit better.”
Rome semi-finalist Lorenzo Musetti continued his top form on clay with a 7-5, 6-2, 6-0 start to his fortnight. Frances Tiafoe, seeded 15th, overwhelmed Roman Safiullin 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard earned a French opening day win as he outlasted Belgian Zizou Berg over three and a quarter hours 4-6, 63, 7-6 (5), 6-4, sending over four aces and breaking four times.
Two-time champion Casper Ruud had to work for more than two and a half hours to overcome Jaime Faria, the Portuguese who put out Stan Wawrinka in the first round at the Gstaad Swiss Open on Thursday.
Faria was riding the momentum from Tuesday’s defeat of three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, set to retire this season and beaten in an opening match at his home venue.
Faria had his eye on a second upset as he faced Ruud, who lifted the trophy at this elite alpine village in 2021 and 2022.
Ruud ahd to dodge a bullet and mount a comeback to get through the second-round test against the Portuguese.
After dropping the opening set in a tiebreaker, Ruud played patiently as Faria saved five break points in the sixth game of the second set before failing on the sixth.
Ruud then pulled away for a 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-2 victory, his first since Roland Garros.
“Sometimes it is hard to say when you get a good feeling and you start to win some games in a row,” the winner said.
“You try from the first game to the last, but suddenly something clicked in the middle of the second for me, luckily.”
He added: “I had to really fight hard and if I played one bad game in the second and he serves well, it could be over and it would be time to go home. But luckily I can extend the stay.”
The Scandinavian could join Spaniards Sergi Bruguera and Alex Corretja as three-time winners in the Alps, with Ruud now standing 10-1 here over his career.
Stefanost Tsitsipas said he slept soundly prior to finishing off a darkness-interrupted match on Thursday as he eliminated local Jerome Kym at the Gstaad Swiss Open.
The Greek who once cracked third in the world and the 186th-ranked Swiss returned to the clay after darkness on Wednesday night left them hanging at 5-all in the third set.
Tsitsipas revved up his game from the resumption to emerge into the quarter-finals 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5).
The second seed now standing 85th in the world after several poor seasons and a split with his father as his coach, said getting his rest was not a problem after the interruption.
“It was strange going to bed and not being finished. I visualised what I wanted to do, my shot patterns.
“It worked out pretty well.
“I had a good night’s sleep, I was not too stressed and I recovered to get ready for the continuation.”
After saving break points in the first game on Thursday, Tsitsipas triumphed in the final-set tiebreaker
“I’m relieved I was able to save a couple of break points.. I put my game together and made it )victory) happen again.”
The Greek now faces off against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech for a semi-final spot.
“I’m expecting a lot of big serves, the altitude (1050m) helps. I’ll try to build consistency around my own serve.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas was handed a reprieve due to fading light with his second round match at the Swiss Open Gstaad stopped with the Greek deadlocked with local Jerome Kym 6-4, 6-7 (2), 5-5.
The math had to be halted as night fell and electronic linecalling computers could not read the path of the ball on the clay in contrast to humans who could have carried on for a few additional minutes..
The 27-year-old Tsitsipas was taking the worst of it in the concluding stage after a promising start.against a journeyman opponent ranked 186.
Tsitsipas, his ranking down to 85th after once standing third in the world, lashed out verbally in the last few games, apparently frustrated with his racquet reactions.
The Greek was quick to make his point of an overnight stoppage to the chair umpire while Kym – who reached 5-all with a love service hold – left the court with a defiant fist pump for his public in this alpine resort village.
The cutoff came after just over two hours of play, with the contest to be concluded on Thursday. The winner reaches the Friday quarter-finals.
Tsitsipas produced his last notable result in April with a fourth-round showing at the Madrid Masters,
He is aiming for his second quarter-final of the season after Doha in February and his 2025 Barcelona 15 months ago.
Tsitsipas stands 10-1 vs. players ranked outside the top 100 this season with a sole loss to No. 104 Italian Matteo Arnaldi at the Roland Garros second round.
History repeats for Argentine spoiler in Gstaad
Ruud survives a scare to secure Gstaad quarters
Tsitsipas finishes off Kym after overnight pause
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