Justine Henin, the former world No. 1 and four-time French Open champion, believes Rafael Nadal’s legacy at Roland Garros will remain “unique and eternal,” despite his recent retirement. Nadal, who won his first Grand Slam title at the French Open in 2005, went on to claim 13 additional titles, finishing with a record 14 championships and an impressive 112-4 match record on the clay courts of the tournament.
This year, however, Nadal faced an unexpected challenge, suffering his first-ever first-round defeat at the French Open. Henin commented on Nadal’s impact, stating, “Roland-Garros will survive Rafael Nadal, fortunately, but the mark will be eternal. What he did will remain unique, even if some viewed his dominance as detracting from the tournament’s excitement. When someone takes control like he did, they do not want to share it.”
Following Nadal’s retirement, the French Open organizers paid tribute to him, calling him “our greatest champion” and “the King of clay.” They expressed their pride in his achievements, stating, “Your legacy will live on forever, on and off the tennis courts. Victory belongs to the most tenacious. Legend belongs to the King of clay.”
Nadal’s record of 14 French Open titles stands as the most victories at any Grand Slam tournament in history.
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