Chatrier, only instead of competing, he was going to be feted by the French tennis federation for all that he accomplished on the red clay.

Rafael Nadal stepped out into Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday to the sort of unending adulation, thunderous applause and chants of his nickname, "Rafa," that greeted him for years

PARIS — Rafael Nadal's first French Open match in the tournament’s main stadium came on May 25, 2005 — a straight-set victory in the second round against Xavier Malisse. That made Nadal’s career record in the tournament 2-0, and he was just getting started on the way to what would end up as a 112-4 mark and 14 championships at Paris.