Rafa's Birthday
June 3, 2026
Marca, June 3, 2026
Excerpts, translated from Spanish via Google
¤¤ The tennis world celebrates Nadal on his 40th birthday
The Manacor-born tennis player is celebrating the anniversary today in private with his family after many years in which it coincided with the Roland Garros tournament.
For many years, it was customary for Rafa Nadal to celebrate his birthday at Roland Garros. The Manacor-born tennis player, who retired after the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, received the traditional cake and blew out the candles, but the real celebration took place a few days later when he lifted the trophy as the almost perpetual champion. He did this 14 times.
Now, away from the courts, he remains a reference of enormous media weight within the world of tennis, which, as expected, has turned out in force for his fortieth birthday.
The congratulations have multiplied in the last few hours. Most are from institutions, and some are more personal, but all are undoubtedly deserved because few players have done as much for their sport as Rafa has for tennis.
Among the most touching messages was one from his good friend Pau Gasol: "Happy anniversary, my friend!!!!! Enjoy it with your family." The legendary Spanish basketball star and the former tennis player have forged a beautiful friendship over the years [since Rafa was a teenager].
Among the Spanish tournaments, the congratulations from the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell and the Mutua Madrid Open were not missing.
The ATP Tour, where he was a prominent figure for many years, has published congratulatory tweets both on its English and Spanish accounts: "Celebrating a phenomenal player and a phenomenal person, Happy 40th Birthday Rafa!" ¤¤
El tenista manacorí celebra hoy la efeméride en la intimidad y con los suyos tras muchos años en los que coincidía con la disputa de Roland Garros
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