Amid talk of ‘last dance,’ how Paris cheers Nadal: from chef to ball boys to spectators to officials | Tennis News

About 6km away, on the centre court at Roland Garros, the sentiment is the same. A Frenchman carries a Spanish flag around his shoulders. It reads a request: “Rafa, please don’t retire.”

The biggest draw on Monday at Paris Olympic Games These were not medal events in gymnastics or swimming. This was a second-round tennis match.

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who have 46 Grand Slam titles between them, have faced each other 60 times: no two players have faced each other more times.

The result was somewhat predictable. Djokovic won 6-1, 6-4 in just under two hours. But the thousands of people on Court Philippe-Chatrier weren’t there for the result. They sat in the scorching sun just to pay tribute to a player who has won more matches and more titles than any other player on that court: Nadal.

The first Sunday of the Games saw many firsts.

Simone Biles, the pioneering American gymnast, made a stunning return to the Olympic platform after mental health issues grounded her first flight in Tokyo. It was a performance to behold and the star-studded venue was a place to behold.

The American basketball team led by LeBron James, the “Dream Team”, made its first performance by beating a team composed of another NBA superstar, the Serbian Nikola Jokic. Two of the many superheroes of the NBA universe who landed in Lille.

Paris 2024 Olympics – Tennis – Men’s Singles, Second Round – Stade Roland-Garros, Paris, France – July 29, 2024. Rafael Nadal of Spain salutes after losing his match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

For his country, Leon Marchand gave the packed La Défense Arena a reason to go home with a smile and wake up with a sense of pride; Monday morning newspapers published the swimming sensation’s photo on their front page.

It was a parade of celebrities in the world’s fashion center. But in this constellation of stars, one shone brightest: Nadal. He was the most striking element of the first weekend of the Games.

In the opening ceremony, in a rare moment, he was given the honour of receiving the torch from French legend Zinedine Zidane in the final stretch of the relay. Most countries would have chosen one of their own. Here in Paris, Nadal is one of their own. “Rafa belongs to Paris,” Riviera says. “And Paris belongs to Rafa.”

So the Parisians came in unprecedented numbers on Saturday to watch his first doubles match with Carlos Alcaraz. The king of clay shared the court with the crown prince, who was to succeed him. When Nadal said he was unsure about his participation in the singles, they held their breath. And when he complained about the match schedule, calling it “scandalous,” they strongly supported him.

That’s how Paris has looked after Nadal since he arrived here, a muscular teenager dressed in capris and sleeveless shirts, with that iconic bandana tied around his forehead.

Riviera has taken it upon itself to ensure that Nadal’s birthday, on June 3, in the middle of Roland Garros, is always a special occasion. Its prestigious patisserie, Potel et Chabot, makes more than 8,000 dishes each year during Roland Garros. More than 100 chefs work there, but Riviera has made it a point of honor to ensure that a traditional birthday cake always reaches Nadal.

“At first, when he started coming here, we gave him a box of olives because he loved them. Then we put some in his cake once, as a tribute to his hometown, Mallorca. He really liked that touch,” says Riviera. Over the years, they anticipated his different needs. “He prefers very little sugar and loves fruit cakes. So we make different types, but we really like to hide olives in his cake to surprise him. I always made him olive ice cream.”

Paris: Rafael Nadal (R) of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia greet each other before their men’s singles second round match of the tennis competitions of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at Roland Garros in Paris, France, July 29, 2024. (EPA-EFE/FRANCK ROBICHON VIA PTI)

The cakes have different designs: a tennis racket one year, a ball the next, and once, a bull, which is one of Nadal’s nicknames. “You know, I doubt he eats more than one spoonful. His team eats the rest. But he has always thanked me politely and met me. I won’t say he’s a friend, but when he’s in Paris at Roland Garros, we meet and he’s always courteous,” Riviera says.

On the court, Arthur Bongrand, the head ball boy, makes sure that Nadal’s bottles, which he meticulously puts away, are not disturbed. But over the years, he has discovered another peculiarity: Nadal’s love of dates. So, even before the Spaniard could ask the umpire, the ball boys were keeping dates on his bench during matches.

It took a city to raise a star. At Roland Garros, everyone has a story with Rafa.

Stephan Brun, who manages the players’ entourage, once recalled the amazement of his team, mostly Roger Federer fans, when Nadal, eliminated in the third round in 2016 due to injury, came to thank them all despite the pain and sadness. Court manager Phillipe Vaillant has said in previous interviews that the Spaniard became more “shy” than his wife when he introduced them.

“He’s a star. But he’s also like you and me. He doesn’t float here,” Riviera said, pointing upward.

Perhaps that’s why he’s become the face of these Games, at least for the first weekend. Nadal’s presence warms up Centre Court, the site of his otherworldly exploits. And the fans cheer every point, every return, as if it were their last. They know the last dance is near. And, as it should be, it might just happen here.