Fans of Rafael Nadal will have to wait a bit longer for the much-anticipated tribute to the tennis legend at the Monte-Carlo Masters. Organizers have decided to postpone the ceremony in accordance with Nadal’s wish. The celebrated Spaniard, who has an impressive 11 wins at the Monte-Carlo Masters under his belt, opted to delay the tribute by 12 months.
Nadal’s extraordinary performance at the prestigious Monaco venue is unparalleled. In a streak from 2005 to 2012, Nadal dominated the men’s singles tournament, seizing the trophy eight times in a row. His Monte-Carlo record stands at a formidable 73 wins out of 79 matches.
However, injury dashed Nadal’s hopes of a farewell performance in 2024, forcing him to withdraw from the main draw. Despite this setback, Nadal will still have an opportunity to bid his fans a fond farewell. But, adhering to his wishes, this poignant moment has been rescheduled for a year later.
According to Tournament director David Massey, the first tribute to Nadal will instead take place at the French Open at Roland Garros. This is a fitting stage, considering Nadal’s remarkable success there. With 14 out of his 22 Grand Slam titles won at Roland Garros, Nadal earned the well-deserved title of ‘The King of Clay’. A special tribute is in the works for Nadal at the event, which kicks off on May 25.
Speaking to RMC Sports, Massey explained: “I understand that he’s saving himself for Roland Garros. So, he’ll go to Roland Garros – I believe everything is already planned with them. It will be a big moment at a tournament that has meant so much to him.”
Massey further added that the Monte-Carlo tribute is now tentatively scheduled for 2026. “We’ve set our sights on 2026. We understand that he wants to keep all of that (the tributes) for this year at Roland Garros. But we’re eager to see him in 2026.”
The Masters 1000 tournament in Monte-Carlo is renowned for providing the world’s top tennis players with crucial practice before the French Open. Nadal’s most recent victory at the tournament was in 2018. The current titleholder is Stefanos Tsitsipas, who secured his win after defeating Casper Ruud in the 2024 final.
