Rafael Nadal has been honoured with a three-metre tall statue at Roland Garros, however the sculpture has divided the tennis world.
French Open officials unveiled the statue of the 13-time champion on Thursday ahead of the start of the clay-court grand slam on Sunday.
Nadal attended the unveiling on Thursday alongside French Tennis Federation President Gilles Moretton, Tournament Director Guy Forget and the sculptor Jordi Diez Fernandez.
The statue is made of steel and stands three metres tall, nearly five metres wide and two metres deep.
While thankful for the gesture, the humble Nadal seemed a bit embarrassed by the very public recognition.
“It’s true that what I accomplished in Paris, even if I don’t like to say it, it’s something very, very special,” he said.
“I am grateful and I understand the gesture: I accomplished something that was very difficult to imagine.”
Social media erupted as photos of Nadal and the statue were posted online.
Dozens of fans praised the sculptor’s work, but as with every statue of a global figure, some were not impressed.
