Rafael Nadal’s Farewell to Paris—and Tennis

Spring was being shy, as it so often is in May in Paris. The sun was hiding on that Sunday afternoon, and the greatest Spanish athlete of all time, Rafael Nadal, made a touching gesture: He hoisted his son, Rafael Nadal Perello, onto his shoulders to give him a farewell tour of the stadium where his father had achieved so much. The two Nadals, senior and junior, waved to the crowd at Roland Garros. It was a powerful moment, almost as powerful as the appearances of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray, who came to say goodbye in person to this legendary player from Mallorca, Spain.