Following Holger Rune’s touching tribute to Rafael Nadal ahead of French Open, Spaniard reacts

Holger Rune recently paid a glowing tribute to the now-retired Rafael Nadal, ahead of the 2025 French Open. The Spaniard later took notice of the Dane’s gesture and reacted to it.

On Tuesday, May 20, Rune took to his Instagram and shared three pictures of himself from a training session at Roland Garros, where he is preparing for his campaign at this year’s French Open. In the pictures, Rune could be seen wearing a Nike shirt bearing the following message on the back:

“It only takes everything”

Rune captioned the post:

“A tribute to our legend @rafaelnadal 🦾 @rolandgarros #kingofclay #itonlytakeseverything #rolandgarros”

Trending

The message was originally coined by Nike to honor Rafael Nadal's stellar career via an advertisement that the American sportswear giant debuted last year, in the aftermath of the Spaniard's emotional retirement at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion, upon noticing Holger Rune's post, left a reaction in the comments section. The former No. 1 didn't use any words. Instead, he went with a smiling emoji to show his appreciation for the Dane's gesture.

At the Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament last year, Rune practiced with the former No. 1 and later spoke up about drawing inspiration from the session.

Holger Rune couldn't believe Rafael Nadal was on the verge of retirement after witnessing Spaniard's intense practice at Six Kings Slam

Holger Rune and Rafael Nadal were among the ATP stars invited to play at the Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Saudi Arabia held in October 2024, and the pair practiced together at the event. Later, at the Paris Masters, the Dane told Tennis Channel that he was amazed by the intensity of the Spaniard's training, so much so that according to him, the 92-time ATP Tour-level titlist should have reconsidered his decision to retire.

"I remember I was practising with Rafa in Riyadh and I was just surprised that the guy's almost retired and his intensity is still up there. I was like, ‘[He] Shouldn’t retire!,' He's had an unbelievable career, incredible. He has done so many things but you know, there’s a reason why he's Rafa," Rune said.

The record 14-time French Open champion is set to receive a special farewell at Roland Garros this year. He was originally slated to receive it at last year's edition of the prestigious claycourt Major, but eventually declined the proposal from tournament director Amelie Mauresmo as he was unsure of his future in tennis at the time.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

Sudipto Pati

Sudipto is a Tennis journalist at Sportskeeda holding a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. He has an experience of 3+ years across the market research, travel, health, lifestyle and sports sectors.

Sudipto has followed Tennis since the early 2000s and stays up-to-date with the sport by following both active and former Tennis players, and seasoned journalists. He also follows ATP and WTA updates, watches documentaries and interviews of professionals, and only reads esteemed publications. He sources all information for his articles only from credible publications stays away from unsubstantiated claims. In just a matter of 3 months, he has gained a readership of almost 2 million at Sportskeeda!

Sudipto admires Rafael Nadal for his fiercely competitive on-court nature and his ability to make memorable comebacks after injury layoffs. The Spaniard may be the GOAT for him, but he also respects the accomplishments of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

Beyond Tennis, Sudipto also has an interest in music, football, and video games alongside cooking and traveling.

Know More