Nadal, forever linked to the French capital thanks to the 14 Roland Garros titles he won there, now preserves this piece of Olympic history in his academy’s showcase, serving as a permanent reminder of his emotional participation in the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony.

At the time, the Spaniard received the torch from Zinedine Zidane at the Trocadero Square, with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, just before boarding the barge in which he carried the flame along the River Seine to the Louvre, alongside stars like Serena Williams, Carl Lewis, and Nadia Comaneci. At the end of the journey, Rafael Nadal handed the torch to former French tennis player Amélie Mauresmo, who continued accompanied by other athletes until reaching the Tuileries Garden. There, the relay was passed to judoka Teddy Riner and sprinter Marie-José Pérec, who lit the cauldron.

“Thank you for sending me this very special torch. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, I experienced one of the most emotional days of my career, and I’m thrilled to keep this torch in a remarkable place in the Museum,” Nadal posted on his social media. It is a recognition of the tennis player’s sporting contribution to the Olympic Games.

Nadal’s connection with the Olympics is profound, having won Olympic gold in singles in 2008 and in doubles in 2016 with Marc López. Now, this torch serves as a lasting reminder of his role in one of the most iconic traditions in sports. Displayed alongside his trophies and memorabilia, it solidifies the former World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings as a global sports icon.

The relay in which Zidane handed the torch to Nadal was one of the most moving moments of the Paris 2024 opening ceremony. Several months later, details of that moment continue to emerge, as told by its protagonists. In the podcast ‘Served with Andy Roddick‘, the former Spanish tennis player revealed a few days ago that he barely knew any details about what he was going to do until 10 minutes beforehand. “I received a phone call from the president of the Games’ organising committee, and he asked if I wanted to be part of the ceremony. I said yes, and I accepted it as a true honour,” he said.

But Nadal didn’t know any more details. “That day was different. Normally, I would have gone with the Spanish team on a boat, but they told me I couldn’t. I didn’t know what I was going to do until five or ten minutes before; it was super secret,” he shared in his chat with Andy Roddick.

Nadal detailed, “I arrived there not knowing what was going to happen. I waited for about half an hour in a small room. Getting there was chaotic because of all the people and the rain, and as I started walking towards the stage, they explained that I was going to hold the torch. I was nervous. Before climbing the stairs, I waited for about two minutes, and when I realised what was happening, I started crying. Then I told myself: ‘Stop, it’s not the moment to cry; it’s the moment to enjoy,'” he recounted.

The 22-time Grand Slam winner highlighted, “I will never have the chance to thank the organisation, the Olympic team, and France enough. Not being French, being given that moment —not just any moment in the ceremony, but that one— receiving the torch from Zidane in front of the Eiffel Tower… It has been one of the most emotional moments of my tennis career, without a doubt,” he commented.

The Spaniard also spoke about the tour, about younger players like Alcaraz and Sinner. “It’s a new generation of great tennis players. I think they are going to keep helping this beautiful sport grow and attract fans.” Additionally, he reminisced about his matches against Federer, against whom he believes he played some of the best matches of his career, and why, perhaps, his rivalry with Roger is more attractive to fans than that with Djokovic. “It’s a bit more like a chess match”, concluded.