The French Open 2025 produced some memorable storylines right from the start. There were upsets, controversies and a lot of impressive performances from the players, who left their hearts out on the court.
Both singles champions staged a comeback to beat the World No. 1 players in the final. While Coco Gauff rallied from a set down to beat Aryna Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz overturned a two-set deficit and erased three championship points to one-up Jannik Sinner.
Despite the thrilling finish to the tournament, there were quite a few touching moments that made a big impact. Here’s a look at five emotional stories to come out of this year’s French Open:
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#1. Rafael Nadal gets teary-eyed during his tribute ceremony at French Open
Rafael Nadal officially retired at last year's Davis Cup Finals in front of his home crowd. However, the French Open organizers decided to host a ceremony to honor him on the first day of the tournament. He's the most successful player in the history of the tournament, with 14 titles to his name.
Nadal's loved ones were present for the ceremony, along with his former rivals Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, with today's top stars Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek and others watching as well. They also unveiled a plaque of his footprint on Court Philppe-Chatrier, forever immortalizing him as a part of the venue where he dominated for so long.
All of this proved to be too much for Nadal, who couldn't contain his emotions. The ceremony turned out to be miles better than his actual retirement ceremony at last year's Davis Cup, giving him a send-off befitting of his status as a legend of the sport.
#2. Novak Djokovic grateful for the crowd's support following his French Open exit
Novak Djokovic's quest for a record 25th Major title came to an end with a semifinal loss to World no. 1 Jannik Sinner at the French Open. On his way out, he put his bags down and appreciated the crowd for having his back during the match. During his post-match conference, he further elaborated on his emotional exit.
Djokovic stated that this could have been his final appearance in Paris. If that does turn out to be the case, then he wanted to thank the crowd for an incredible atmosphere. While he wants to continue playing for as long as possible, at his age a year is a long time, so he doesn't want to speculate too much on what the future holds for him.
"This could’ve been the last match ever I played here. I don’t know. That’s why it was a bit more emotional in the end. If this was the farewell match of Roland Garros for in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd," he said.
"I don’t know right now. 12 months at this point in my career is quite a long time. Do I wish to play more? Yes I do. But will I be able to play in 12 months time here again? I don’t know. That’s all I can say for the moment," he added.
While another appearance at the French Open isn't guaranteed, Djokovic will compete at Wimbledon and the US Open this year. The grass court Major will be his best shot at capturing his 25th Major title.
#3. Lois Boisson's fairytale run in Paris melted everyone's hearts
Lois Boisson's career was on an upward swing last year. She won the Saint-Malo Challenger, which helped her secure a French Open wildcard. Unfortunately, she sustained an injury prior to the clay court Major, forcing her to withdraw and delaying her Major debut.
Boisson missed the remainder of the season and returned to action at the start of this year's clay swing. She recorded her maiden victory on the WTA Tour at the Open de Rouen by beating Harriet Dart before losing in the second round. She received a wildcard into the French Open, thus making her Major debut a year later than intended.
She upset 24th seed Elise Merterns en route to the fourth round, where many thought third seed Jessica Pegula would end her run. However, she beat the American and followed it up with a win over sixth seed Mirra Andreeva to reach the semifinals on her debut.
Boisson became the first woman from the host nation to make the last four at the French Open since Marion Bartoli in 2011. While her dream run came to an end in the semifinals against Coco Gauff, she won a lot of fans over the fortnight for her incredible comeback story.
#4. Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos end years of heartbreak with their maiden Major title in Paris
Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers have been one of the most accomplished teams on the doubles circuit ever since they teamed up in 2019. They've won eight Masters 1000 titles together and even ascended to the top of the rankings. However, Major glory remained out of reach.
They reached three Major finals as a team, while Granollers was the runner-up on another two occasions with Marc Lopez as well. The duo captured their long overdue Grand Slam crown at this year's French Open with a win over Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski. This was a moment years in the making and the duo were simply overjoyed at accomplishing their biggest dream, with the crowd cheering wholeheartedly for them as well.
#5. Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini turn their singles heartbreak into doubles joy
Sara Errani contested the final match of her singles career at this year's Roland Garros, losing in the second qualifying round. Jasmine Paolini, a runner-up here in singles and doubles with her compatriot last year, lost in the fourth round of singles this time.
While they were disappointed with how their singles campaign concluded, the duo made up for it big time. Errani won the mixed doubles title on Friday, June 6. She then captured the women's doubles title with Paolini on Sunday to wrap up their time in the French capital on a high.
It marked Paolini's first Major title in either discipline, while Errani walked away with her second title in mixed doubles and sixth in women's doubles. The duo have been one of the most consistent teams and have now won their first Grand Slam title as a pair. After their loss in the final last year, this was a moment to cherish for them.
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