Who more and who less stops in front of the effigy of the 14-time champion, unsheathes the mobile and immortalizes his image next to him. Since Sunday it is already played at Roland Garros. On Monday, Paris was close to the pleasant surprise of seeing one of their own win against a seed, but Benoit Paire surrendered the weapons in the fifth set against the unbreakable Cameron Norrie.

Life goes on without Rafael Nadal, absent from the tournament for the first time in the last 18 years. "I've seen him win all his titles, since he was a kid, in 2005, with his long hair and pirate pants," recalls Alberte, a middle-aged economist who walks around the enclosure, without hiding a look of melancholy.

Alexia, a girl who not too long ago left adolescence, also does not miss the opportunity to add her silhouette to the replica of the idol, photographed by her partner. "I don't lose hope of seeing him again. I loved Federer for his natural elegance, but little by little I was conquered by Rafa's strength, his admirable combativeness."

"In all sports there are records, some of them of extraordinary value, but they can always be broken. There are none inaccessible. I would say Rafa's is. His 14 titles are impossible to beat," Ubaldo Scanagatta, the journalist responsible for the Ubittenis.com website, which has covered 167 Grand Slam tournaments, told this newspaper.

The figure of Nadal floats around a tournament difficult to understand without his presence. One way or another, almost always showing his teeth on the clay tour, the left-hander has appeared in Paris with the well-earned tag of top favorite. He also did so last year, when, despite playing infiltrated all the games due to his chronic foot injury, he won the cup again. "Nadal has won more than twice as many titles as the man next to him [Bjorn Borg won six]. It admits no comparison," says Philippe Bouin, a longtime journalist at L'Équipe. "The relationship between a champion and a major tournament has two phases. At first, when the player is young, he feeds his own glory with triumphs. Each Roland Garros helps you build your reputation. With the passage of time, it is the tournament that is also nourished by their victories, in a process of feedback."

Novak Djokovic, who on Monday got rid of Aleksandar Kovacevic without difficulty in his debut in this edition of the tournament, has remained as the only representative of the Big Three, after the withdrawal of Roger Federer last September and the temporary absence of the Spaniard, who intends to return to say goodbye next year. "Winning a Grand Slam 14 times means winning seven matches in the same tournament every year. You can't think that their absence won't have an effect," Scanagatta continues.

The relationship with the public

"The French public has not always had an affectionate relationship with Nadal. I used to wait for the surprise. Among other things, he supported Federer because the favorite was Nadal, something that to some extent happened in reverse at Wimbledon. I think the two occasions when the Spaniard won there have a lot more value than the sum of some of his great victories at Roland Garros."

Paris was slow to admit the hegemony of a player who perpetuated the Spanish tradition on these courts. Nadal, a contemporary of Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils, in whom the French fans had high hopes, was soon in charge of pointing out distances that were acquiring an abysmal character. "Beyond the French tennis players, the sentimental favorite of most people was Federer, always defeated by Nadal. Over the years, his attitude, his respect for rivals and fans and his talent returned to the Spaniard the reward of the affection of the public, "says Bouin.

"Rafa arrived and generated disenchantment"

"When they started, Richard, Gael, it created an enthusiastic atmosphere in France. Being very different, both seemed to meet the conditions to make us dream. Then Rafa arrived and generated disenchantment. I admire him for everything he has done, but I think the tournament wins in excitement and competitiveness. I want to see young people, like Alcaraz, Sinner or Rune, although in my country we still do not have a candidate for the title, "says Bertrand, after leaving the Suzanne Lenglen after the defeat of Paire.

"France has not had a champion since Yannick Noah won in 1983 and has to support foreign tennis players. The one they liked the most was Gustavo Kuerten [three-time champion]. Everyone remembers when he drew a heart on the sand of the Power Station. Bjorn Borg played eight times in the tournament and won it six. In 1973 and 1976 he was surpassed by Adriano Panatta," recalls Scanagatta. "Nadal's rivalry with Djokovic or with Federer is something unique. We will need at least ten years to find something similar, although it will be of a lower level. It can be Alcaraz-Rune or even Alcaraz-Sinner, although I think the Dane is more complete than my compatriot," envisions the veteran transalpine journalist.

Without being a definitive farewell, you can breathe in Roland Garros an aroma at the end of the era. "Grand Slam tournaments made Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, but the fact that these three champions shared the titles for 20 years has made the majors even more prestigious: the houses of the gods," concludes Bouin.

  • Rafa Nadal
  • Novak Djokovic
  • tennis
  • Articles Javier Martínez

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