On his 40th birthday, Rafael Nadal still looms large at Roland Garros

Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal turns 40 on June 3. Can you believe it? The teenager with the long hair aand shorts that we all grew to know and love as the “King of Clay” is now a husband, father, and firmly entrenched into retirement.

It was always wonderful to watch him celebrate his birthday at the French Open especially since he won the tournament most of the years he was playing in it.

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Now that Rafa has retired, his presence is still felt at the tournament that created his career and built his legacy. That presence goes far beyond the permanent marking on the court in his honor.

How Rafa still figures into the French Open

Players talk about him as if he still plays. Coco Gauff mentioned channeling Nadal.

Iga Swiatek idolized him and recently trained in his presence.

Then, there is this generation’s teenage Spanish Rafael that made a name for himself this spring and got to the quarterfinals.

His RAFA Netflix documentary dropped on May 29, in the thick of Roland Garros action.

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Rafa’s legacy

Roland Garros will always be Rafa Nadal’s tournament, no matter how far removed he becomes from playing in it.

Sooner or later, some part of Roland Garros should bear his name, and not just the statue on the premises.

Rafa is retired, and though many of us still have not fully embraced that reality, it is true. However, each year Roland Garros rolls around, the 14-time champion will still creep into our thoughts as we watch clips of his stellar play.