
Rafael Nadal set for new job seven months after 14-time French Open winner retired from tennis
Tournament chief hinted at a major change for next year
RAF & READY Rafael Nadal set for new job seven months after 14-time French Open winner retired from tennis
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
RAFA NADAL is set to have a long-term role at the French Open.
Organisers said farewell to their greatest champ this year, marking the 14 men's singles titles he won before retiring in 2024.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
2
Rafal Nadal is set to land a new job at Roland Garros
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
2
His three biggest rivals attended his farewell presentation
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
A special on-court presentation on day one was attended by the Spanish tennis king's great rivals Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.
A plaque was unveiled in his honour and event boss Amelie Mauresmo said he could work with the event in years to come, possibly as an ambassador.
She said: 'It's now the common desire of the tournament and of Rafa to have some form of collaboration.
'We focused on what was happening this year with the communications campaign and homage.
READ MORE IN TENNIS
MIC MY DAY Wimbledon finals to be shown on new TV channel after 88 years of BBC coverage
'But we will resume our discussions so this story the tournament has had with Rafa over the past 20 years may continue in one way or another.'
Former Wimbledon and Australian Open champ Mauresmo said the event may continue to use line judges in 2026 — even though the other three Grand Slams axed them in favour of calls automatic from Hawk Eye.
Mauresmo, 45, said: 'We are The Last of the Mohicans to some extent with line judges so will look at that question again, with the pluses and minuses.
'We couldn't say that the system of electronic refereeing on clay courts was very reliable so the question remains open.'
CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Nadal was not in the stands to yesterday's men's final between his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Though everyone inside Court Philippe Chatrier got treated to an incredible five hour and 29 minutes match that will go down as one of the greatest ever major finals.
Rafael Nadal reveals Andy Murray's 18-word text message ONE second after Arsenal beat Real Madrid
Alcaraz was down two sets and Sinner had a whopping three match points in the fourth.
Yet he retained his Roland Garros crown, winning 4-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (10-2).
Alcaraz, 22, has now won five Grand Slams and only Bjorn Borg and Nadal have done so younger.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Glasgow Times
39 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Emma Raducanu makes short work of opening win at Queen's
The 22-year-old, who secured a first doubles victory with partner Katie Boulter on Monday, revealed before the tournament – the first time Queen's has hosted women's tennis in 52 years – that she was still managing ongoing back issues, playing down expectations for this WTA 500 event, boasting a £1million prize pot. But wild card Raducanu was in fine form on Tuesday afternoon on centre court – the day before inaugurated as the Andy Murray Arena – where she dispatched Bucsa in just one hour and four minutes, much to the delight of the home crowd who were behind the 2021 US Open champion the whole way. Emma Raducanu was 'locked in' during a comprehensive straight sets win (John Walton/PA) 'I must say I was quite locked in today,' Raducanu said on court. 'I'm very pleased with my performance. I was a little bit nervous for sure at the beginning, it's my first time playing on this court at Queen's in London, and the support is incredible. 'I'm still trying to find my groove on this surface, there are certain shots that I feel like I am a little bit late on, so I'm working on that. 'I knew today was going to be a very difficult match. I actually lost to Cristina earlier on in the year, so I was really trying to fight and make sure that didn't happen again. 'I was really trying to fight and get myself into the second round, because I just want to stay here playing at Queen's as many matches as I possibly can.' This was Raducanu's first appearance on the west London venue's marquee stage after making her Queen's debut on the smaller Court One on Monday with British number one Boulter. Katie Boulter finally saw off Ajla Tomljanovic (John Walton/PA) The latter also punched her ticket to the second round but in much grittier fashion, battling to a 7-6 (4) 1-6 6-4 victory over Australian qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic. 'When I walked out it actually surpassed what I thought it would feel like when I kind of imagined it,' said Boulter, adding: 'I think it's very easy to get caught up in just trying to get your first grass court match, also coming to such an historic venue as well, which holds a lot of purpose and a lot of familiar feelings when I've come here before.' Earlier, Heather Watson set up a second-round meeting with fourth seed and former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina after upsetting world number 27 Yulia Putintseva, 107 places above her in the rankings, 6-4 6-3. Former British number one Watson won all four of her break points to see off her Kazakh opponent in an hour and 22 minutes. Tuesday's results ensured four Britons qualified for the round of 16 after Sonay Kartal set up a meeting with American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova by beating Daria Kasatkina 6-1 3-6 6-3 on Monday. It was not to be for British wildcard Fran Jones, however, who was defeated in straight 6-2 6-4 sets by American McCartney Kessler, while the other all-British pair in the doubles draw, Kartel and Jodie Burrage, were knocked out in a nervy 7-6 (8) 7-6 (1) defeat to Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe.


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Former Wimbledon champions looks unrecogniseable as she dazzles at event in Italy five years after retiring from tennis
A former Wimbledon champion looked unrecogniseable at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Hotel II Pellicano in Monte Argentario, Italy, on Monday. The next Grand Slam on the tennis calendar gets underway on June 30, where Barbora Krejcikova will be looking to defend the women's singles title she won on Centre Court 12 months ago. But one of the more famous champions to grace the court is Russia's Maria Sharapova, who famously won the title in 2004 as a 17-year-old, when she beat Serena Williams in the final. The now-38-year-old went on to win all four Grand Slam titles - the French Open twice - before calling a day on her career five years ago. She has continued to focus on her investment portfolio since retiring, and attended Monday night's party alongside fiance Alex Gilkes and the likes of Michel Martone. Sharapova looked unrecigniseable from her playing days, donning long brown hair rather than her famous blone, while she dazzled in a see-through black top and long black trousers. Maria Sharapova retired from tennis in 2020 and has opted for a more natural look in her post-playing days The former Wimbledon champion rocketed to fame when she beat top seed and defending champion Williams 21 years ago to win her first Grand Slam at just 17. Since retiring in 2020, Sharapova has favoured a more natural look to her playing days and a number of fans have been in agreement, after a double take, on her social media profiles. During her storied time on court, Sharapova become the first Russian player to complete the career Grand Slam after wins in Melbourne, New York, Paris and London and the third-youngest woman to triumph at Wimbledon. But her career was marred by a 2016 failed drugs test, which saw Sharapova suspended for two years after she was found to have ingested meldonium, a substance which had been banned at the start of that year, ahead of the Australian Open. Her suspension was later reduced to 15 months after she was found to have taken the drug as per her doctor's advice, and Sharapova returned to competition in April 2017, and won the Tianjin Open seven months later. After struggling with chronic shoulder issues for a number of years, Sharapova announced her retirement in 2020, sharing an emotional goodbye message with her followers that spoke to her deep connection to the game. 'How do you leave behind the only life you've ever known?,' Sharapova wrote. 'How do you walk away from the courts you've trained on since you were a little girl, the game that you love - one which brought you untold tears and unspeakable joys - a sport where you found a family, along with fans who rallied behind you for more than 28 years? 'I'm new to this, so please forgive me. Tennis - I'm saying goodbye.'


The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Emma Raducanu makes short work of opening win at Queen's
But wild card Raducanu was in fine form on Tuesday afternoon on centre court – the day before inaugurated as the Andy Murray Arena – where she dispatched Bucsa in just one hour and four minutes, much to the delight of the home crowd who were behind the 2021 US Open champion the whole way. Emma Raducanu was 'locked in' during a comprehensive straight sets win (John Walton/PA) 'I must say I was quite locked in today,' Raducanu said on court. 'I'm very pleased with my performance. I was a little bit nervous for sure at the beginning, it's my first time playing on this court at Queen's in London, and the support is incredible. 'I'm still trying to find my groove on this surface, there are certain shots that I feel like I am a little bit late on, so I'm working on that. 'I knew today was going to be a very difficult match. I actually lost to Cristina earlier on in the year, so I was really trying to fight and make sure that didn't happen again. 'I was really trying to fight and get myself into the second round, because I just want to stay here playing at Queen's as many matches as I possibly can.' This was Raducanu's first appearance on the west London venue's marquee stage after making her Queen's debut on the smaller Court One on Monday with British number one Boulter. Katie Boulter finally saw off Ajla Tomljanovic (John Walton/PA) The latter also punched her ticket to the second round but in much grittier fashion, battling to a 7-6 (4) 1-6 6-4 victory over Australian qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic. 'When I walked out it actually surpassed what I thought it would feel like when I kind of imagined it,' said Boulter, adding: 'I think it's very easy to get caught up in just trying to get your first grass court match, also coming to such an historic venue as well, which holds a lot of purpose and a lot of familiar feelings when I've come here before.' Earlier, Heather Watson set up a second-round meeting with fourth seed and former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina after upsetting world number 27 Yulia Putintseva, 107 places above her in the rankings, 6-4 6-3. Former British number one Watson won all four of her break points to see off her Kazakh opponent in an hour and 22 minutes. Tuesday's results ensured four Britons qualified for the round of 16 after Sonay Kartal set up a meeting with American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova by beating Daria Kasatkina 6-1 3-6 6-3 on Monday. It was not to be for British wildcard Fran Jones, however, who was defeated in straight 6-2 6-4 sets by American McCartney Kessler, while the other all-British pair in the doubles draw, Kartel and Jodie Burrage, were knocked out in a nervy 7-6 (8) 7-6 (1) defeat to Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe.