Rafael Nadal

The one and all time Champion of Roland Garros ? There’s only one man who says “si”! 'Longevidad' is the theme running through not only Rafael Nadal’s spectacular career, but also his friendship with Richard Mille. Tenacious, superstitious, victorious – these are some of the adjectives that characterise his unorthodox playing style. They all, also, rhyme with the only word that matters – victorious !

“Rafa”, the undisputed King of Clay, has forged a reputation as the most powerful and audacious competitor in tennis. In 2010, he won three of the four major Grand Slam tournaments. The 2017 season proved to be one of the player’s finest, with two Grand Slam wins and the top spot in the ATP world rankings. Today, Rafa has more Roland Garros wins than any other player in the history of tennis. Who could possibly forget the emotional 2020 final against Novak Djokovic where, despite the unusual context of the pandemic, Nadal successfully retained the trophy he had lifted so many times before. He did it all over again in 2022 to clinch his 14th Roland Garros win.

When Rafael met Richard Mille in 2008, he didn’t want to wear a watch and it certainly hadn’t occurred to him to wear one during his matches. Nadal was resistant to the idea and it took Richard a long time to convince him. Together, they developed the world’s lightest tourbillon at the time of its release: the RM 027 – the first watch to bear the King of Clay’s name.

The partnership between the watch brand and the tennis player has given rise to a whole collection of varied watches, from the first RM 027 to the latest automatic model unveiled in 2024: the RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon. The bond between Rafael and Richard goes beyond a simple partnership, as the tennis champion explains: “He’s a very positive person. He really wants to take the watch industry forwards. He’s not someone who’s simply content to rest on his laurels. He strives for excellence and that’s something I respect. In my game, I’m always looking to improve and I work hard to achieve this.”