Rafael Nadal didn’t just leave a legacy on the French Open clay, he left an actual footprint. This year, tournament organizers unveiled a new plaque on Court Philippe-Chatrier, etched with Nadal’s footprint to honor his mind-blowing 14 Roland Garros titles. It’s now a permanent part of the stadium, a tribute as legendary as the man himself. But that’s not the only memorabilia of the “King of Clay” grabbing attention.

The history stretches back to Nadal’s roots with Babolat. Their partnership began when he was just nine years old. Since then, Babolat rackets have been in his hand for every single one of his 22 Grand Slam wins. Back in 2023, a racket he used during the 2022 Australian Open, when he defeated Daniil Medvedev, was sold for $139,700 at Sotheby’s. That held the top spot for the most expensive tennis racket sold. Until now.

A Babolat racket used by him during his 2017 French Open win was sold for a whopping $157,333.20, including the buyer’s premium. That’s now the most ever paid for a tennis racket. With that sale, Nadal has broken his own record. The 2017 racket was part of Prestige Memorabilia’s auction and came with a lot of weight, both historically and literally. Nadal used this custom-made Babolat in the final at Roland Garros, where he steamrolled Stan Wawrinka in straight sets: 6-2, 6-3, 6-1. That win gave him his 10th French Open title. He didn’t lose a single set the entire tournament and would go on to add four more trophies in Paris.

That same racket saw plenty of action during Nadal’s 2017 season. It was also used in the Miami final, where he lost to Roger Federer in straight sets. Then came the Madrid Open semifinal against Novak Djokovic, which Nadal won in straight sets before taking the title by beating Dominic Thiem in the final. That was his record fifth Madrid Open crown.

And the racket’s journey didn’t stop there. It’s also likely that Nadal used it during the 2017 Australian Open final, where he had another epic showdown with Federer, one that ended with the Swiss star lifting the trophy.

“To find a Grand Slam Final-used racket from Rafael Nadal is rare,” reads the Prestige Memorabilia lot description. “To find one photomatched across an entire clay season (and more) — capped by a French Open title — is unprecedented.”

The racket has all the signature Nadal details: the “Rafa” emblem on the throat and a stringing sticker from the 2017 French Open that reads “RG 2017 Nadal.” It’s no surprise it went for six figures. This wasn’t just a piece of gear, it was a piece of history.

Babolat recently celebrated its long-standing partnership with Rafael Nadal by revealing just how many rackets he’s used since their journey began.

Babolat celebrates special relationship with Rafael Nadal

Fourteen Roland Garros titles, four U.S. Open crowns, two Wimbledon championships, and two Australian Open wins have all been through the Babolat racket. To celebrate their 25-year collaboration, Babolat shared some staggering numbers last year. Rafael Nadal has used 1,250 Pure Aero Rafa rackets, and according to Babolat, he’s never broken a single one.

He’s also gone through 186 miles of RPM Blast string and wrapped his rackets with 54,000 feet of VS Original overgrip, each one applied by him personally. And yes, even the way he carried his bags became part of his trademark. Over the years, the Spaniard has carried 125 bags, always slung over his right shoulder.

Nadal’s legacy isn’t just about titles and trophies. It’s also about the equipment he used, the rituals he kept, and the partnerships that lasted. The mark he’s made on tennis is one for the ages, and the mark he’s left on Babolat is just as lasting. A racket, a plaque, and a story that keeps on growing. What’s the next Nadal memento to make headlines?