It felt like a French comedy routine, one that had hardened into an annual tradition.
First, the setup: Walk through the grounds of Roland Garros, past the statue of Rafael Nadal—peeled from tennis’s Mount Rushmore—and enter its main stadium. There, Nadal stands in the anteroom before the entrance, before walking onto Court Philippe-Chatrier, which, for nearly 20 years, has doubled as his personal stage. Bandana tied tight around his head, Nadal, ever the creature of habit, begins rolling his shoulders and undertaking a series of spring-loaded kangaroo hops and stretching exercises, conscious enough not to hit his head on the ceiling.
As Nadal undertakes this elaborate backstage ritual, tournament stadium announcer Marc Maury begins his introduction, first in French and then in English. “And from Spain, the tournament champion in the years …” Then, Maury takes a deep breath and begins the tally, “2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 …” And on he goes. By the time Maury gets through all the years—we’re now up to 14—the crowd erupts into audible giggles.
