Djokovic Confirms Federer Reunion For Nadal's Ceremony At Roland Garros
NewsSunday, 25 May 2025 at 14:39
Novak Djokovic confirmed he, Roger Federer, and some other special guests will all make an appearance during Rafael Nadal's tribute ceremony at Roland Garros.
Nadal retired from the sport at last year's Davis Cup, and while he had a farewell tribute already at the Davis Cup, many thought that it was simply not good enough.
Expectedly, there are many tournaments and organizations that want to honor the 22-time Grand Slam champion as well, and one of them is obviously Roland Garros.
No other man has ever won a single Grand Slam 14 times, which is why Nadal's ceremony at the Court Philippe Chatrier should be simply legendary. And the ceremony won't be the only legendary thing, as there will be plenty of legends in attendance.
Nadal's rivals, Djokovic and Federer, should both be in attendance, as well as Andy Murray. Djokovic confirmed that in an interview with the Swiss publication Le Matin after winning his 100th career title in Geneva.
"It will be a very special, very emotional moment for everyone. Along with Federer and Murray, we will be there for the ceremony. It will be a beautiful moment."
Djokovic, Federer, and Murray shouldn't be the only legends in attendance. Many former players, such as Mats Wilander, Martina Navratilova, and Jim Courier, now work as pundits, so their presence wouldn't be surprising either.
On top of that, the vast majority of current players, such as Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Nadal's super fan, Iga Swiatek, are all expected in attendance as well.
With Nadal set to be honored at Roland Garros, Djokovic once again remembered their rivalry. It was one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport, if not the greatest.
Both recognized multiple times how they, along with Federer, pushed each other to be even better, which is why Djokovic felt impacted after both of his rivals retired from the sport.
During the same interview with Le Matin, the 38-year-old Serbian admitted that he struggled to stay motivated after the Spanish legend said his last goodbye to the sport.
"Yes, it was hard to stay motivated without him. Honestly, I didn't think it would be like this. A part of me left with him, and it was a challenge to get my motivation back. Luckily, there are other things that give me inspiration."
"When Rafa quit, I felt something I'd never felt before. I thought, 'What do I do now?' There was a bit of that, especially on the court where I felt flat. Off the court, I feel like it didn't impact me in the same way. But after six months, I think I can say it's better."
After watching Nadal's tribute at the Court Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic will fully focus on his tournament. His first match will most likely be on the same court, with the sixth seed taking on Mackenzie McDonald.
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