Rafa Nadal’s 2005 Roland Garros Shirt Goes to Auction
History is about to repeat itself. A piece of Rafael Nadal’s tennis legacy is going up for sale. The American auction house has announced an exclusive online auction featuring the shirt the Spanish tennis star wore during his iconic 2005 Roland Garros tournament, where he competed and won his first quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final matches. The auction opened on July 17 and will close on August 4.
Verification and Authenticity
The online auction features several photographic details verifying the shirt’s authenticity. The buyer’s imagination and bank account will do the rest. The auction house guarantees that this is "the only shirt that has been auctioned off from this Grand Slam," and it will come with complete documentation from Resolution, a company renowned for its expertise in verifying the authenticity of historical items. Resolution was involved in the authentication of the die-hard Maradona jersey sale for $9.3 million.
An Iconic Shirt
Rafa Nadal wore the shirt during his first Parisian adventure when he was just 19 years old and was beginning his rivalry with Roger Federer. With 22 years of career behind him and 1,075 victories to his name, Nadal can boast that this shirt was the one that started his incredible journey.
Avaliable for $25,000 and Hopes to Reach $100,000
The auction house hopes to raise over $100,000 for the shirt. Interestingly, as of today, there has been no bid placed, leaving ample opportunity for bidders to capitalize on this once-in-a-lifetime piece of tennis history.
This is not Nadal’s first foray into the auction world. His shirts and rackets, as well as signed shoes and balls from major tournaments, have been sold on other occasions. The auction house previously sold the racket with which Nadal won his Roland Garros title in 2007 for $118,206, starting the bidding at $10,000. Don’t miss your chance to own a piece of tennis history.