Rafael Nadal is gearing up to make his return to the French Open next month. The organizers of this prestigious second grand slam of the year have announced that the Spanish tennis star will be honored with a special ceremony at Stade Roland Garros. Nadal stepped away from professional tennis last November after his last match in the Davis Cup.

There were rumors that Nadal might retire after last year's French Open, where he faced No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev in the first round. The organizers had planned a special tribute for the 14-time champion on the iconic Parisian clay, but Nadal declined, feeling uncertain about his future and wanting to keep the door open for a potential comeback in 2025.

A few months later, Nadal returned to Stade Roland Garros for the Olympics, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in the second round of men's singles but reached the quarterfinals in doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz. Shortly after, the 22-time grand slam champion decided to retire from the sport.

On Wednesday, French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo confirmed during a pre-tournament press conference in Paris that Nadal will be back this year for a tribute. The Roland Garros social media account later tweeted that the 'King of Clay' will be honored on the tournament's opening day. “A ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 25, on Court Philippe-Chatrier, following the three matches of the day session,” the tweet stated.

Nadal won’t be the only one receiving recognition at the French Open. Former world No. 7 Richard Gasquet is also set to retire at his home tournament, and a special ceremony has been arranged for after his final match. Additionally, the legendary French player Mary Pierce will be celebrated for the 25th anniversary of her Roland Garros title and her induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

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