Rafa Nadal's Farewell Sparks Excitement for New Tennis Generation

As the French Open kicks off at Roland Garros, thousands of eager fans braved the windy weather on Sunday, seeking to honor Spanish tennis legend Rafa Nadal. Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, whose career officially concluded after Spain's Davis Cup in November, will be celebrated with a tribute on the tournament's opening day.

The day also marks world number one Aryna Sabalenka's quest for her first Grand Slam title against Kamilla Rakhimova, with fans also eyeing the potential of young talents like defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. With Nadal retired and previous favorites like Novak Djokovic not seen as challengers, excitement is building around the new generation of players.

Fans donned jackets and carried umbrellas to face the sporadic rain, a stark contrast to the usual sunshine, as they gathered to watch rising stars including Lorenzo Musetti, Ben Shelton, and Jasmine Paoloni compete in the early stages of the competition.

(With inputs from agencies.)