'Big Four' reunite at Nadal's French Open farewell

Rafa, Roger, Novak and Andy.

The names roll off the tongue for the modern-day tennis fan as quickly as John, Paul, George and Ringo do for a Beatles geek.

This fab four - or the Big Four as they are known - of the ATP Tour's post-millennium golden era are not seen together much these days, with Rafael Nadal becoming the third of the group to retire at the end of last year.

But he, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray reunited on Sunday as the French Open bade an emotional farewell to its 14-time champion.

"After all these years fighting for everything, it's unbelievable how time changes the perspective of things," an emotional Nadal, 37, told his rivals-turned-friends after they strode out to join him on Court Philippe Chatrier.

"All the nerves, pressure, strange feelings when you see each other when you're rivals, it's completely different when you finish your career.

"We built amazing rivalries but I think in a good way, we fought hard for titles but were good colleagues and respected one another.

"It means a lot that you're all here. I really enjoyed a lot pushing myself to the limit every single day to compete with all of you."

Federer, who famously held hands with Nadal as they cried during the final match of the 43-year-old Swiss' career, received the first warm embrace, with hugs for Djokovic and Murray following.

Djokovic, 38, arrived in Paris just hours earlier after winning the 100th title of his career on Saturday, while Briton Murray joked afterwards he had thought he would be at the ceremony in his role as the Serb's coach.

Their partnership came to an end earlier this month, resulting in French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo asking 38-year-old Murray if he could still make it.

"I didn't know they would be here - but I could imagine they would come," Nadal said.

"The agendas of people sometimes are difficult. But of course they know that [being there] would make the day very special for me."

Murray, who travelled to Paris and back on Sunday from London as a measure of his respect and appreciation for Nadal, said: "What he went on to achieve was amazing, particularly here."

Speaking to a small group of reporters, he added: "People say it all the time with records but I genuinely think that this one, I would be really very, very surprised if that gets broken.

"It is going to stand the test of time I think.

"He's an amazing, amazing player, a great guy, and it was great to see him have a proper send-off."

Nadal later gave an amusing anecdote which offered further insight into his friendship with Murray.

"After Arsenal beat Real Madrid [in the Champions League], he messaged me.

"I'll read it out to you: 'Hey Rafa, I haven't spoke to you in a while - just checking in to make sure you are OK'.

"It took me five seconds to realise what I was reading. I thought 'he's such a nice guy'. This British sense of humour. By the way - I didn't text him back when PSG beat Arsenal."

Nadal played the bulk of his 115 French Open matches on Court Philippe Chatrier and won each of his 14 titles on the most famous clay court in the world.

Six months after the final match of his career at the Davis Cup Finals in Spain, he returned for a special farewell.

Nadal matches on Chatrier used to be a sea of Spanish red and yellow. On Sunday, the colour scheme was Roland Garros terracotta.

Each ticketholder was handed a T-shirt on their way into the 15,000-seater stadium, creating a palette which matched the colour of the surface which Nadal dominated for so long.

Even before Nadal appeared for the 50-minute ceremony, the chant of "Rafa! Rafa! Rafa!" rang out as his adoring audience waited for his arrival.

The majority rose to their feet when a suited-and-booted Nadal walked out, including Carlos Alcaraz - long seen as the heir to Nadal's crown - and reigning women's champion Iga Swiatek.

A lengthy round of applause lasting more than a minute followed. It left Nadal overcome with emotion, biting his lip and wiping his mouth as he absorbed the acclaim.

After watching a showreel of the iconic memories he made at Roland Garros, Nadal paid tribute to his family - who were sat in the front row of the presidential suite - the tournament and the French fans.

Towards the end of a speech conducted in Spanish, French and English, Nadal could not hold back the tears any more.

He sniffled through a message of thanks to one specific family member - his uncle Toni, the man who taught him tennis from the age of three and coached him to 16 of his 22 major titles.

Following the cameo of Federer, Djokovic and Murray, there was still time for one more surprise as Mauresmo and French Tennis Federation president Gilles Moretton unveiled a silver plaque, featuring Nadal's footprint, next to the Chatrier net post.

"It was perfect. I could not have expected a more emotional day. It was unforgettable with plenty of emotions," Nadal said.

"For a guy like me, who does not like these sort of things, I am still a bit shy and don't like to be the centre of attention. But I enjoyed it a lot."