Rafael Nadal had a confession to make in his return to the French Open as the 38-year-old revealed that for the first time in his life he lost his competitive spirit.

Few athletes have become more synonymous with a single event than Rafael Nadal and the French Open. The Spaniard won a record 14 titles at the grand slam in his career and Roland Garros gave its champion one final goodbye on Sunday.

More than any other player, Nadal revealed the innate awkwardness of the tennis farewell — and how glorious it can be when done right.