King Rafa’s last stand – tennis times and tides

Has it been 20 years already?!

still feel sad looking at this picture

The 2004 Roland Garros final was memorable because it was painful to watch Coria disappear in that match, and sadly, after a while, he disappeared from tennis. Couldn’t have been too many who would have bet on Gaudio becoming RG champion. To his credit, he reached round 4 the next year, where he lost to 23-year-old Ferrer, in the early stages of his career!

2005 turned out to be the turn of tides and times, memorable as the 19-year-old boy’s year, and who would have known then that it would be the start of HIS illustrious 14-RG-trophies – and more besides – career.

we're just pleased to see him play

2024, then, becomes memorable, when the inevitable happens. Everyone knows a body will be worn out at some point and pity it had to be Zverev who got to deal the final blow (Zverev supporters will think it is poetic justice). Still, it was Nadal’s match and the warrior with all his injuries and battle scars did not disgrace himself, had nothing to prove, and deserved to be uproariously feted by the crowd, and everyone else. There were more than enough moments of Rafa magic and he “fighted to the end”, no?

Whatever the new times and tides have in store, it is fitting that his legacy lives on this year in Princess Iga (“self-professed superfan”) and Prince Carlos (who idolized him)!

Vamos, all!

photos from Reuters and Getty Images

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