Rafael Nadal cements lasting legacy with Roland Garros dominance

Joel Drucker and Steve Tignor talk about Nadal’s lasting legacy in Paris, and the new book that tells us how he made one of the Slams his own:

JOEL DRUCKER: As usual, clay court season has had its share of great rallies and matches. But, of course, one thing is missing: the undisputed King of clay, Rafael Nadal. There will be a ceremony for him this year at Roland Garros, set to take place on the first day of the tournament, Sunday, May 25. It will certainly be tasteful, vivid, and, yes, quite emotional to take in all that Nadal has brought to the sport.

It will always be mind-boggling to ponder Nadal’s mark of 14 Roland Garros titles. Who wins any tournament 14 times, much less the most demanding one in all of tennis? Though I’m usually not one to rank sports achievements, should someone bring up the accomplishments of a Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, or Tiger Woods, my personal investment in the tennis will compel me to trot out Nadal’s Roland Garros triumphs and dare anyone to top them.

Steve, in the spirit of Nadal’s clay court prowess, we surely must honor our fellow lefty and conduct a longer than usual rally. As we commence this eight-shot sequence, what’s your initial big picture thought on Rafa?

STEVE TIGNOR: My first thought on Rafa right now is that it’s only fair that Roland Garros should open with a ceremony for its once and future King. We know Nadal dominated there, but in the process I think he also did something else, and possibly unique: He raised the status of one of the Slams, almost as much it raised his.

When you think of RG pre-Rafa, it was a specialist’s event, and the game’s all-time greats rarely won it. Sergi Bruguera, Thomas Muster, Albert Costa, Gaston Gaudio: These were some of the champions before 2005, while Sampras, Becker, Edberg, McEnroe, and Connors never went all the way, and usually exited early. Even Ivan Lendl, a three-time champ, started skipping it to prepare for Wimbledon.

But Rafa, a certified GOAT, never stopped caring about it, never stopped building his season around it, never tired of grinding through best-of-five on dirt. Nadal’s name will always be attached to Roland Garros, and that’s only to the tournament’s benefit.

It’s also timely to combine Rafa and RG, because our friend Chris Clarey has done the same in his new book, Rafael Nadal and His Kingdom of Clay, a co-history of the man and the event.

Joel, I know you’ve read the book. Did it tell you anything new about Rafa, or make you think differently about him at all?

While most biographies follow a justifiably linear progression from birth to youthful development to blossoming and so on, Chris’ structure zeroes in deeply on all that comprises that kingdom—plenty, of course, on Rafa, but also more on the physical nature of clay, the four great French players who inspired the creation of Roland Garros, as well as thoughtful portraits of those who’ve aided Nadal’s journey. Joel Drucker on The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and His Kingdom of Clay, by Chris Clarey

JOEL DUCKER: What I so love about this book is the depth and nuance Chris has brought to his portrait of Nadal. Begin with how the title cites Nadal’s reign on clay. That’s no mere marketing ploy, but a promise to the reader. While most biographies follow a justifiably linear progression from birth to youthful development to blossoming and so on, Chris’ structure zeroes in deeply on all that comprises that kingdom—plenty, of course, on Rafa, but also more on the physical nature of clay, the four great French players who inspired the creation of Roland Garros, as well as thoughtful portraits of those who’ve aided Nadal’s journey.

Rest assured, there’s also plenty on the other eight majors Nadal won, including the spectacular 2008 Wimbledon epic victory over Roger Federer and Rafa’s redemptive 2022 Australian Open win versus Daniil Medvedev.

As you point out, Steve, it’s interesting—and often overlooked—how Nadal’s over-the-top success in Paris raised the tournament’s significance on the global stage, both within tennis and beyond. Prior to Nadal, the case could be made that Roland Garros was slightly less important than Wimbledon and the US Open. No more. Nadal didn’t merely take over the kingdom. He built it.

Steve, what have you enjoyed about Chris’ book?

STEVE TIGNOR: The book felt fitting, coming from someone who wrote for “the paper of record,” the New York Times. That’s what this feels like, too—a thorough record for posterity. When future tennis fans look back and wonder how the heck someone won one major 14 times, this will be the document to consult.

Those future fans will also learn about moments when the player and the event didn’t get along. It’s funny to be reminded, now that Nadal is beloved at RG, that he was heartily resented for beating France’s tennis Jesus, Roger Federer, and that suspicion of him led a French sports minister to claim he failed a drug test—inspiring a successful defamation suit from Rafa.

But the book is best as a portrait of the unique qualities of Rafa and his uncle Toni, and how their stoical, take-the-hard-road worldview led them from a small island to the pinnacle of the sports world. I liked hearing about Jim Courier choking up when he talked about how Nadal succeeded in mentally mastering such a soul-crushing game, and described Rafa as playing “every point as if it is its own little island”—a perfect phrase.

I liked hearing Mats Wilander talk about how practicing with a young Rafa was “way more complicated than I thought,” and that his shots came with unprecedented spin, but no diminution in pace. “A different level and a different commitment” than anything Wilander had seen before. And I liked learning a new Rafa aphorism: “I’m not trying to create obligations for myself that lead to me being less happy.”

To his fans, Rafa has always been a philosophy, as much as a player, and Chris captures that. But I will take issue with Chris’s assertion that Nadal’s game would have been hindered if he’d been forced to use a wood racquet. I wrote a story a few years ago about playing a wood frame, and I adapted my game to it pretty quickly. If I can do it, Rafa surely can.

Joel, you and I were also there for Rafa’s 14 titles at Roland Garros. Are there matches or moments that stand out to you?

To his fans, Rafa has always been a philosophy, as much as a player, and Chris captures that. Steve Tignor on The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and His Kingdom of Clay, by Chris Clarey

JOEL DRUCKER: One aspect of Chris’ book I felt a strong personal affinity for is that he and I both grew up playing tennis on fast hardcourts in Southern California; neither of us had much first-hand experience with clay. In his trademark understated way, Chris explains his clay court journey. And because clay is not his first tennis language, I think that, akin to an anthropologist, Chris was able to bring an exceptional amount of curiosity and insight into what made Nadal’s kingdom so distinct.

This is a setup towards my own excitement at being able to so often watch Nadal compete at Roland Garros. Everything from the color to the texture to the sounds of tennis on clay made the whole experience incredibly compelling.

Never did all of that come together for me more powerfully than when Nadal beat Djokovic in their epic 2013 semi. This was the match where Djokovic was serving in the fifth at 4-3 deuce and, after putting away an easy volley, he touched the net. Well before that, though, one rally after another had been tremendous, each player stretched across the entire court. And my seat was fantastic—right behind the court, inside the Tennis Channel broadcast booth, assisting the commentators. All of it made for a great experience, Nadal in the end taking four hours and 37 minutes to win it, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7(3), 9-7.

What’s one of your more memorable Rafa moments, Steve?

STEVE TIGNOR: The most memorable moment of that memorable match came when Djokovic touched the net on a volley in the fifth. I’ll never forget Rafa’s reaction—he shot his right index finger forward, to point out Djokovic’s offense. It’s the tennis version of the Leonardo DiCaprio meme where’s he’s manically pointing at his TV.

That was one of the few close calls Nadal endured at RG. Countless times I watched him become embroiled in what felt like a dogfight, only to look up and see the final score was something like 7-5, 6-2, 6-0. That’s partly because Rafa didn’t win with big serves; even his one-sided victories were a grind. It’s also because, until 2022, he was never the crowd favorite, and everything felt like a fight for him there. Imagine a team having a 112-4 record on the road; that’s essentially what Rafa did at Roland Garros.

My lasting memory came when he beat Dominic Thiem in the 2019 final. There were rumors of Rafa’s demise that spring, and he lost to Thiem in Barcelona. The fans at RG were hoping for any sign of vulnerability; when he lost the second set, it looked like they would finally get their wish. Then, like magic, he turned it on. He defied the fans, his age, his injuries, his younger opponent, and won the last two sets 6-1, 6-1. RG was still his kingdom, and all felt right with the world. Or, as Rafa said in his typically pragmatic way afterward: “I think I managed the situation well.”

Joel, any last thoughts on Nadal, as the men’s game begins to move on?

Nadal’s legacy is one of the heart, of all the passion and poise it takes to fully throw oneself into the battle and give one’s all, again and again and again. When the space invaders come to claim our planet, they surely must need to play a match versus Nadal on clay. If they emerge triumphant, I’ll board the ship. Until such time, long live the king. Joel Drucker

JOEL DRUCKER: Wow, how to boil down one’s thoughts on someone who has given so much joy—and insight—for 20 years? Where even to begin? Or finish?

Though I don’t believe in the concept of a GOAT, I do enjoy pondering pointed questions about various tennis legends. Which all-time great players, for example, do I enjoy watching simply for aesthetic pleasure? These would include Federer, Ken Rosewall, Justine Henin.

Then there’s this one: Who would you have play for your life? Contenders include Pancho Gonzalez, Jimmy Connors, Monica Seles—and, beyond a doubt, Nadal.

Years ago I wrote a story about why, despite loving both Nadal and Federer, I personally identified more with Rafa. Why? Because while Federer’s style showed us what life could be in all its unruffled beauty, Rafa showed us just what life really was—a world where grit and persistence are paramount. Again, this is highly personal, based on my own life journey and its attendant values. So goes the way people deeply connect with these athletes who play an individual sport.

Nadal’s legacy is one of the heart, of all the passion and poise it takes to fully throw oneself into the battle and give one’s all, again and again and again. When the space invaders come to claim our planet, they surely must need to play a match versus Nadal on clay. If they emerge triumphant, I’ll board the ship. Until such time, long live the king. Your thoughts, Steve?

STEVE TIGNOR: Rafa holding up the trophy in Chatrier: That’s the photo we all know so well. His hair changes through the years, his shirts go from sleeveless to sleeved and green to pink to yellow, but the joy and satisfaction on his face never changes or diminishes.

Sadly, Nadal’s final run at Roland Garros, in 2024, ended with a much-less-triumphant image. He walked off court—nearly 37 years old and fighting injury—after a first-round loss to Alexander Zverev, and left Chatrier with a last, resigned wave. Despite his age and condition, it was still a bit of a shock to see him walk away in defeat, rather than with the trophy.

I’ve also been slightly shocked at how quickly Nadal and his fellow legend Roger Federer have faded from our consciousness since their retirements. I shouldn’t be, of course; it’s Alcaraz and Sinner we see on TV now. But when Roger and Rafa were at their peaks, it was basically impossible for me to imagine tennis going on without them.

So Nadal was human, after all, even at RG. Knowing he was subject to the same vulnerabilities, physical and mental, as the rest of us only makes his accomplishment more awesome. And while the next generation has grabbed the baton from him, they’ll be hard-pressed to match is legacy, especially at Roland Garros. Before Rafa and the Big 3, even the best tennis players suffered through slumps, burnout, bad days, stunning losses. And judging by Alcaraz’s career so far, he will as well. But the Big 3 rarely did; they raised the bar on consistency, desire, work ethic, professionalism, clutch play, longevity, and overall excellence.

For future fans, Nadal’s 14 wins at Roland Garros may stand as the most-eye-popping record of the Big 3 era, that slice of time at the start of the 20th century when gods roamed the tennis courts. For now, it will feel good on Sunday to see Rafa—the man, not the legend—triumphant in Chatrier one more time.