Rafael Nadal will begin what is likely his final French Open run on Sunday, facing No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev in the first round.
The Spaniard has dominated at Roland Garros, winning 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles at the tournament. His last came in 2022, a 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 win over Casper Ruud that continued his undefeated record in Paris finals.
However, it's been a bumpy road for Nadal since.
He missed the majority of the 2023 season with a hip injury, then pulled out of the 2024 Australian Open because of similar ailments. Nadal hasn't played in a Grand Slam since the 2023 Australian Open, and has hinted that this season might be his final one.
Nadal is not the first, nor the last, tennis icon who will hope to re-create some magic on the playing surface where they made their name. Here's a look at other last hurrahs by tennis stars at tournaments that helped them make their mark.
Roger Federer: Grass
Last run: 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-0 quarterfinal loss to Hubert Hurkacz in 2021
Federer currently has the most career titles at Wimbledon (8) and won five straight between 2003 and 2007. He was also runner-up four times.
Knee issues hindered Federer after he made his last Wimbledon final appearance in 2019, which he lost to Novak Djokovic. Federer missed the entire 2020 season except for the Australian Open and made his return to a major at the 2021 French Open.
During his final Wimbledon run at 40 years old, he became the oldest man in the Open era to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals. However, he lost in straight sets to Hurkacz.
Serena Williams: Hard court
Last run: 6-3, 6-4 semifinal loss to Naomi Osaka in 2021
Between the two major hard-court tournaments (Australian and US Open), Williams has 13 combined Grand Slam titles. Seven of those came at the Australian Open, tied for her most at a major tournament (Wimbledon).
She had a strong showing in her final Australian Open, losing in the semifinals to Osaka. It marked the 13th time since 2000 that Williams advanced past the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Pete Sampras: Grass
Last run: 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4 second-round loss to George Bastl in 2002
The king of grass in the 1990s, Sampras won six Wimbledon titles during the decade. However, after winning in 2000, he failed to advance past the round of 16 in his next two appearances.
Sampras' last appearance at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club ended in a round of 64 loss -- his worst finish at Wimbledon since 1991.
Steffi Graf: Grass
Last run: 6-4, 7-5 final loss to Lindsay Davenport in 1999
Like Sampras, Graf had her way on grass during the 1990s. She won five of her seven Wimbledon titles between 1991 and 1996. Though injuries caught up to her as the decade closed, Graf still had a memorable run in her final Wimbledon.
Graf reached the final but lost in straight sets to Davenport.
Chris Evert: Clay
Last run: 6-3, 7-6 (4) round of 32 loss to Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in 1988
During the early 1970s and for all of the 1980s, there was a simple rule: If Evert was in the field at the French Open, she would go far. From 1973 to 1987, Evert won seven titles and advanced past the quarterfinals at every French Open (excluding 1976-78, when she didn't participate).
However, her final run at Roland Garros snapped her streak. Evert lost in the round of 32, her earliest exit at a Grand Slam tournament since 1983 at Wimbledon.
Margaret Court: Hard court
Last run: 6-4, 6-3 quarterfinal loss to Martina Navratilova in 1975
The record holder for most Grand Slam titles dominated on the hard court. She had 11 titles at the Australian Open and five at the US Open. Court started her career with seven straight Australian Open titles, the most consecutive championships in the tournament's history.
Court had her worst finish at her final Australian Open -- a quarterfinal loss to a 19-year-old Navratilova.