Roland Garros has shared its traditional Christmas message with a touching tribute to two exceptional tennis players, Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff, who shone brilliantly in 2025. The French Open tournament also paid a worthy homage to legendary champion Rafa Nadal, marking his retirment.

Merry Christmas from everyone here at Roland-Garros 🎄🎁 pic.twitter.com/Lz2we2jDYy

Carlos Alcaraz: The King of Clay

Carlos Alcaraz, the young Spanish sensation, has truly sealed his status as the ‘King of Clay’ after winning the 2025 French Open, a title he was so [[] soready](https://www.estadiodeportivo.com/polideportivo/carlos-alcaraz-marc-marquez-alex-palou-entre-los-elegidos-20251224-524723.html) for. This year, he won eight titles in total, becoming the youngest man to achieve a career Grand Slam on all surfaces—clay, grass, and hard court—and pocketing over 60 million dollars in prizes.

The rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner dominated men’s tennis. Alcaraz came out on top, winning 4 out of 6 matches and sharing the 2025 Grand Slam with Sinner. Alcaraz also won the US Open, while Sinner took the Australian Open and Wimbledon, where he faced Alcaraz in the final.

Coco Gauff: A Rollercoaster Season

Coco Gauff’s 2025 was a tale of two halves. The young American ended the season as the world number 3 after winning her second Grand Slam title at Roland Garros and the WTA 1000 in Wuhan. She amassed nearly 8 million dollars in prize money but faced challenges such as early exits at Wimbledon and the US Open and an unusually high number of double faults.

A Homage to Rafa Nadal

The tribute to Rafa Nadal was a grand affair, highlighting his record 14 titles at Roland Garros and his incredible influence on the tournament. The event featured the presence of the other Big Four legends—Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray—which made it even more special. A plaque with Nadal’s shoe print and a personalized trophy were presented to him, and a t-shirt reading ‘Merci Rafa’ was also given.

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