Rafael Nadal Gets A Statue At French Open

Only one active player has a statue already at a Grand Slam. No, not Roger Federer at Wimbledon or Novak Djokovic at the Australian, or even Serena Williams anywhere. It’s Rafael Nadal.

The Spaniard was honored with a nearly-10 foot tall statue today on the grounds at the French Open, a tournament he has won 13 times.

“It’s true that what I accomplished in Paris, even if I don’t like to say it, it’s something very, very special,” Nadal told AFP.

“I am grateful and I understand the gesture. I accomplished something that was very difficult to imagine.”

The steel statue will be located by the new main entrance to the site.

A moment unlike any other for our greatest champion 😮#RolandGarros | @RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/ioi1UbnfG4

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 27, 2021

Now Rafa never has to leave 😁

More on the statue created to pay homage to the 13-time champion and his unmatched RG legacy 👇#RolandGarros

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 27, 2021

En l'honneur du plus grand champion de Roland-Garros 1⃣3⃣🏆@RafaelNadal a inauguré ce jeudi sa statue dans le stade Roland-Garros 🏟️#RolandGarros

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 27, 2021

Nadal added on Friday, “Of course is something amazing for me to have recognition like this in the most important place in my tennis career, something probably unprecedented,” he said. “Is true that I did something very special here in this event. But at the same time, I can’t thank enough Roland Garros, the French Federation, everybody, all the employees, for that recognition, no? Have been very special for me and to have a memory like this forever in Roland Garros is something, yeah, that makes me feel very proud and very satisfied.”