Rafael Nadal made a bold fashion statement at the 2005 Roland Garros by winning the tournament in a unique outfit.
Less than a month ago, it was announced that his iconic sleeveless top from his first French Open victory at age 19 was up for auction. The shirt, verified by Resolution Photomatching as the one he wore in 2005, had an auction deadline of August 4th.
It’s become common to see tennis memorabilia sold at auctions because of their historical value and collector interest.
Memorabilia Craze:
In the last year and a half, rackets from famous players have fetched high prices. For example, Novak Djokovic‘s racket from his 2016 French Open win went up for sale. Similarly, Nadal’s and Iga Swiatek’s rackets from their French Open victories also attracted big sums. Tennis fans love owning pieces of history.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇪🇸 Rafael Nadal | 38 | 215 | 7 - 5 |
Sometimes players sell their items for charity too. Alexander Zverev did this two years ago, selling his racket and Olympic jacket to support United Charity.
The French Open is closely linked with Nadal due to his record 14 wins there, making him the best clay court player ever. Within a week of going on sale, someone bought Nadal’s shirt for $113,924—a new record for match-worn tennis gear—breaking Roger Federer‘s previous record of nearly $95,000 for his 2009 French Open outfit.
Nadal’s first French Open win in 2005 marked the start of his dominance on clay courts. That year he beat Federer in the semifinals before defeating Mariano Puerta in the final.
Nike has since copied Nadal’s sleeveless design for other players like Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune at the Australian Open in 2024. Fans might think it’s cool seeing these modern players wearing similar outfits!
Overall, Nadal has an incredible record at Roland Garros: 112 wins and only four losses with four titles won without dropping a set! Despite questions about retirement after losing to Djokovic at the Olympics, he hasn’t confirmed anything yet.
He won’t be playing at this year’s US Open but will return next month for Team Europe at the Laver Cup. Maybe he’ll bring back that iconic sleeveless shirt!
What do you think about all these tennis memorabilia auctions?