On May 25, 2025, the clay short of the court Philippe-Chatrier de Roland-Garros was not only the scene of tears, but also of laughter, while Rafael Nadal, 14 times champion of Roland-Garros, shared an exchange of hilarious messages with Andy Murray during his moving farewell ceremony. The Spaniard, who retired in November 2024, was honored during an event filled with stars that brought together the “Big Four”: Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Murray. In the midst of tributes and cheers, Nadal’s revelation on the cheeky message of Murray sparked a crisis of anger in the world of tennis, fans on X exclaiming: “What is happening with Rafa and Andy? »»
The ceremony, orchestrated by the director of the Amélie Mauresmo tournament, was a celebration of the unprecedented heritage of Nadal: 112 victories, 4 defeats and 14 titles on the Parisian clay. Fans carrying t-shirts “Thank you Rafa” formed a mosaic of letters “rafa” and “14 rg” and hearts, while a video editing of the triumphs of Nadal, from its beginnings in 2005 to its determination in 2022, was broadcast in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 15,000 people. Nadal, dressed in an elegant black suit, cried by thanking his family, in particular his uncle Toni, who trained him in 16 of his 22 Grand Slam tournaments. But the atmosphere relaxed when Nadal, at a later press conference, released his phone to share a Murray message that made everyone laugh out loud.
“My good friend Andy, with whom I hadn’t heard from for a while,” started Nadal, “the day Arsenal beat Real Madrid 5-1 in the Champions League quarter-finals, just after the match, he sent me a message to the next second:” Hi Rafa, it’s been a while since I was right. The room burst out laughing while Nadal told his confusion. “For five seconds, I said to myself:” Wow, what a nice type that watches over my family! ” Then I realized: “This is the meaning of British humor of Andy! “The crowd has Rugi and Nadal added,” He made me smile when I didn’t want it. »»
Murray, a supporter of Arsenal, has always taken the opportunity to joke with Nadal, an unconditional supporter of Real Madrid, just after the overwhelming victory of the Gunners. Nadal, still in a good sporty spirit, revealed that he had not retaliated when Arsenal lost against PSG in the Champions League. “I didn’t answer him,” he said, laughing. “I’m not at your level of jokes!” “The exchange, shared at a crowded press conference, has become viral on X, with a fan published:” The brutal message from Andy to Rafa is the ultimate British humor! #RolandGarros2025. Another wrote: “Rafa laughs through his tears, that’s why we love you! »»
The exchange of messages added a moment of lightness to a day charged with emotion. The meeting of the “Big Four” was a historic moment, Federer, Djokovic and Murray surprising Nadal by joining him on the court. “I didn’t know they would be there, but I expected it,” said Nadal, highlighting Murray’s effort to travel from London to spend the day. Federer first tightened Nadal in his arms, remembering his moving farewell to washing Cup 2022, while Djokovic, just out of his 100th ATP title, called him “my biggest rival”. Murray, who briefly trained Djokovic in 2025, joked: “I thought I would be here as a coach, not as a rival! Their laughter resounded, testifying to their link beyond the competition.
The reaction of the tennis world was electrifying. ESPN qualified the revelation of the text as “Masterclass in matters of joke”, while Tennis Channel praised Nadal’s ability to balance humor and humility. X fans flooded the meme platform, one of them showing Murray’s text bunk on an Arsenal goal, legend: “Andy 1, Rafa 0.” IGA świątek, present with Carlos Alcaraz, tweeted: “The friendship between Rafa and Andy is essential. I still laugh! The hashtag #mercirafa was trendy with more than 2 million mentions, mixing tears and laughter.
The story of Nadal underlines the unique heritage of “big oven”: not only their 69 Grand Slam titles combined, but also their ability to maintain friendship despite ferocious rivalries. “We have shown the world that we can fight hard while respecting each other,” said Nadal. As he left the court, holding his son in his arms, a plaque was revealed with his fingerprint and the number “14”, ensuring his immortality at Roland Garros. But it was Murray’s cheeky message and Nadal’s joyful story that reminded fans why these legends are so appreciated: not only for their tennis, but also for their humanity. As a user of X summed up: “The pranks of Rafa and Andy are the real Grand Slam! »»
