The king is dead… long live the king? The phrase is metaphoric and dramatic in many ways but the news that men’s tennis’ greatest ever clay-court player, Rafael Nadal, will NOT feature at this year’s Roland-Garros has sent melancholic shockwaves across the tennis world and opened the door for a rare, different name to hold aloft La Coupe des Mousquetaires in 2023. Ad The reigning champion and 14-time winner’s announcement at a press conference held at his Academy in Mallorca on Thursday afternoon is hugely significant on so many levels.