Five Things We Learned From New Book on Rafa Nadal and Roland-Garros

By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Wednesday Could 14, 2025

Rafael Nadal and his dominance on clay, particularly at Roland-Garros, are explored in-depth within the new ebook, The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and His Kingdom of Clay.

Acclaimed tennis journalist Christopher Clarey, previously of the New York Instances and the Worldwide Herald-Tribune, explores Nadal’s legendary profession by focusing primarily not solely on why he excelled notably on clay, but additionally on the historical past of the floor and its most well-known match, which Nadal gained an unimaginable 14 instances.

Listed below are 5 issues we realized after ending this must-read ebook.

Large second for me. The Warrior publishes in the present day within the USA and Canada. 22 years within the making. 2 years within the writing. I went deep on Rafael #Nadal’s code & profession & on #RolandGarros, the dusty Parisian showplace with which he’ll all the time be related.

Vamos! pic.twitter.com/TFavbLNnAI

— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) Could 13, 2025

The French Championships Have been First Performed on Grass

Earlier than the occasion grew to become often called Roland-Garros (named for the famed WWI aviator), the “French Championships” had been contested at varied tennis golf equipment earlier than the inaugural version was held on the Racing Membership on Paris’s western outskirts in 1891. Though not formally confirmed, the primary matches had been performed on grass. So why the change to clay, which seemingly occurred earlier than 1900? Tennis historians imagine it was because of clay being simpler to keep up than grass and clay courts turning into extra widespread in southern Europe due to local weather and sources.

Early Dangerous Luck for Nadal Opened the Door for Gaston Gaudio

At age 16, a younger Nadal burst onto the scene and made an impression on the lead-up clay court docket occasions in 2004 earlier than Paris, together with incomes wins over then reigning Roland-Garros champion Albert Costa after which later over one other former champion Carlos Moya. Expectations had been excessive that Nadal might make a large run in Paris.

However earlier than he left Mallorca for Paris, Nadal hit some tennis with buddies and jumped the online for enjoyable. However a few of his buddies, considering it could be humorous, lifted the online as he did. Nadal fell and suffered a slight fracture in his proper elbow. Because of this, he missed competing at Paris that 12 months. His absence, maybe, opened the door for eventual and shock champion Gaston Gaudio of Argentina to win the title in 5 units over his countryman Guillermo Coria.

Nadal would go on to win his first Roland-Garros title in 2005 over Mariano Puerta.

Rafael Nadal and Roland-Garros, a love story since 2005 🧡 pic.twitter.com/mRKQXQlTZI

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) April 18, 2025

  Nadal Admits His On-Court docket Rituals Are a “Catastrophe”

A lot was stated and written about Nadal’s on-court “rituals” or “tics” throughout his profession, from organizing his water bottles in entrance of his chair a sure approach, to adjusting his hair, shirt and shorts earlier than every serve, simply to call a couple of. In truth, as he grew older, the routine grew to become much more elaborate.

But, regardless of the idea by many who Nadal has OCD, that has been denied by each him and his staff. Nonetheless, Nadal when requested concerning the rituals admitted they’re strictly for the court docket solely.

“They seem to be a catastrophe, sincerely,” he stated. “Folks see my routines on the court docket and imagine that I’m somebody with plenty of routines and superstitions exterior the court docket, however exterior the court docket I’m virtually at zero. I must be actually organized when I’m competing, however in my private life, I am somebody who is basically disorganized and somebody who just isn’t actually on time or tremendous kind A. However when I’m on the court docket, the routines enable me to remain completely focused on what there may be to do.”

Nadal and Federer Camps Weren’t At all times So Pleasant

Regardless of their lengthy rivalry, each Nadal and Roger Federer now share friendship and admiration for one another. However, that wasn’t the case early on of their careers, particularly between their respective groups when Nadal started to threaten the World No. 1 Federer, who nonetheless dominated the ATP Tour.

2004: The primary time Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal shared the court docket. They had been doubles opponents. They wore matching outfits.

2022: The final time Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal shared the court docket. They had been doubles companions. They wore matching outfits.

Completely satisfied 21 years of Fedal ❤️ pic.twitter.com/BysDGSQ1PB

— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) March 28, 2025
 

By 2006, Nadal and Federer’s staff had been identified to talk unwell of the opposite participant in non-public. Nadal’s camp thought Federer wasn’t disciplined together with his weight-reduction plan and never having the identical work ethic as Nadal.

On Federer’s aspect, some in his staff questioned how Nadal might display his ferocious endurance on court docket and requested officers how typically Nadal was being drug examined.

The back-and-forth sniping obtained so dangerous that finally the ATP stepped in and requested each side to speak with one another instantly and never depend on false rumors.

As Nadal’s agent Benito Perez-Barbiadillo remembers of the time, “They (Nadal and Federer) had been really two good human beings, in order that they needed to discuss to one another and never hear what the entourages had been saying.”

Will the Stadium Court docket in Paris Be Named for Nadal Sometime?

All through Nadal’s profession, and his dominance over Roland-Garros, it is no shock that the French followers, as a result of Nadal is Spanish, went from suspicion to begrudging acceptance, to lastly overt approval for Nadal’s achievements on the occasion. Nonetheless, the rumors that someday the primary stadium court docket might be renamed in Nadal’s honor are simply that.

VIDEO: Days earlier than the French Open kicks off, a statue of Rafael Nadal is unveiled at Roland Garros pic.twitter.com/9YEIytjCtR

— AFP Information Company (@AFP) Could 29, 2021
 

At the moment, the court docket is known as in honor of the late Worldwide Tennis Federation president Philippe Chatrier. If the court docket is ever renamed, it is attainable it is going to be for a French participant down the highway.

But simply exterior the advanced’s entrance gate is a brand new ten-foot stainless-steel statue of an airborne Nadal that celebrates his immortal standing because the “King of Clay.”

The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and His Kingdom of Clay is now available in shops and on-line.