PARIS
\nRafael Nadal was given a rousing reception as the \u2018King of Clay\u2019 stepped onto Court Philippe Chatrier for the final time on Sunday in a ceremony to celebrate his career at the French Open, while Aryna Sabalenka got her French Open campaign up and running with an emphatic victory.
\nThe 38-year-old, who retired from tennis last November, was serenaded by the Roland Garros crowd, with spectators wearing different coloured t-shirts to create the message \u201c14 RG, Rafa\u201d.
\nNadal dominated the French Open after winning on debut as a teenager in 2005, lifting the trophy a record-breaking 14 times.
\nThe Spaniard finished with a remarkable 112-4 win-loss record at the clay-court Grand Slam.
\nHe last won the title in 2022 and played his final match on the Paris clay last year when he was defeated by Alexander Zverev in the first round.
\n\u201cI don\u2019t know how to start\u2026 I\u2019ve been playing on this court for 20 years.
\nI suffered, I won, I lost. I have lived many emotions here on this court,\u201c an emotional Nadal told the crowd after watching a video of his career highlights at Roland Garros.
\nNadal\u2019s family and friends watched from the player\u2019s box, along with many of his former coaching staff, including his uncle Toni.
\n\u201cWithout doubt, the most important tennis court of my career,\u201d Nadal added to cheers.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s been an incredible story that began back in 2004 when I came to Roland Garros for the very first time. I could barely walk on crutches due to a foot injury. I climbed to the top of the court and looked out and couldn\u2019t wait to play here.\u201d
\nNadal won the title the very next year after that injury setback, downing Mariano Puerta in the final.
\nNadal\u2019s long-time rivals Novak Djokovic, fresh from winning his 100th ATP title on Saturday, Roger Federer and Andy Murray all joined him on the main Chatrier court.
\nThe trio walked out after Nadal\u2019s speech to greet their fellow former world number one, to a deafening roar from the fans.
\n\u201cAfter all these years fighting for everything, it\u2019s unbelievable how time changes the perspective of things,\u201d Nadal said to the other members of the \u2018Big Four\u2019.<\/p>\n
SABALENKA, ZHENG UP AND RUNNING
\nWomen\u2019s world number one Sabalenka needed just an hour to sweep aside Russian Kamilla Rakhimova on the opening day of the tournament.
\nThe Belarusian kicked off the schedule under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier with a ruthless 6-1, 6-0 win, making a strong start to her tilt at a first French Open title.
\nSabalenka has never reached the final at Roland Garros, but the tournament appears more open than in recent years given the struggles of three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek.
\nThe Pole has slipped to fifth in the rankings and has not reached a WTA final since lifting her fourth French Open trophy last year.
\nSabalenka believes she is as well-placed as ever to take advantage.
\n\u201cI really feel I can do really good here,\u201d said Sabalenka, who belted 30 winners past Rakhimova in a one-sided contest. \u201cSuper happy with the level.\u201d
\nChina\u2019s Zheng Qinwen, who won Olympic gold last year at Roland Garros, overcame a tough first-round assignment as she beat former finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 6-3.
\n\u201cI will carry the gold medal mentality throughout the tournament,\u201d said Zheng, the number eight seed.
\nElina Svitolina opened the action on Court Suzanne Lenglen with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Turkey\u2019s Zeynep Sonmez as scattered showers interrupted play briefly on the outside courts before giving way to clearer skies.
\nGermany\u2019s Eva Lys took out American 28th seed Peyton Stearns 6-0 6-3 while twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was another early casualty in Paris following her 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 defeat by Swiss Viktorija Golubic.
\nSerbia\u2019s Hamad Medjedovic became the first player into the men\u2019s second round with a 6-3, 6-3, 7-6(2) victory over Poland\u2019s Kamil Majchrzak.
\nIn the men\u2019s section, Italian Lorenzo Musetti found his touch after a tight first set to reach the French Open second round with a 7-5, 6-2, 6-0 victory over German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann, beginning his campaign with the firm intention of winning the title.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PARIS Rafael Nadal was given a rousing reception as the \u2018King of Clay\u2019 stepped onto Court Philippe Chatrier for the final time on Sunday in a ceremony to celebrate his career at the French Open, while Aryna Sabalenka got her French Open campaign up and running with an emphatic victory. The 38-year-old, who retired from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-481064","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n