PARIS — Rafael Nadal stepped onto Court Philippe Chatrier to the sort of unending adulation, thunderous applause and chants of his nickname — “Rafa! Rafa!” — that greeted him for years as he accumulated a record 14 French Open championships, only this time he was being honored at a farewell ceremony.
Thousands of spectators gave Nadal, who retired last year, a standing ovation Sunday as he strode through the doorway that leads from the locker room to the red clay playing surface he ruled like no one ever has in the history of tennis. Instead of that familiar headband, the tape on his fingers or the capri pants he made famous early in his career, Nadal was wearing a dark suit and a dark dress shirt.
He smiled broadly and waved at the crowd, which seemed to occupy just about every seat in the 15,000-capacity venue.
It came 20 years to the day Nadal made his debut in Chatrier at age 18 with a second-round victory.
As a highlight video began playing on the screens Sunday — showing those lefty bullwhip forehands, those pumped fists accompanying shouts of “Vamos!” and the relentless racing to every inch of the court — Nadal bit his lower lip and appeared on the verge of tears, which did flow eventually. His voice cracked and he sniffled while delivering a speech in French, then English, and then his native Spanish.