Rafael Nadal truly needs no introduction. Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, he amassed 22 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, including an unparalleled 14 French Open victories. His remarkable 81-match winning streak on clay remains the longest on a single surface in the Open Era, solidifying his legacy as the undisputed King of Clay. Nadal burst onto the scene with his first major title at Roland Garros in 2005, and for nearly two decades, he maintained an extraordinary level of dominance.

However, the twilight of his career was marked by persistent injuries. After an injury-plagued 2023 season that saw him exit early from the Australian Open and miss the French Open, Nadal made a heartfelt return in 2024. He competed in several tournaments, including the Brisbane International and Madrid Open, before making a final appearance at Roland Garros, where he faced a first-round defeat to Alexander Zverev. Later that year, Nadal officially announced his retirement following Spain’s Davis Cup campaign. In 2025, Roland Garros paid tribute to its most decorated champion with a moving farewell ceremony. Held on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the event featured emotional speeches, a video montage of his illustrious career, and appearances by fellow legends Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray. The ceremony commemorated Nadal’s 20-year journey at the French Open, where he achieved a staggering 112–4 match record. It was a poignant reminder that, like the greats before him—Federer at 41, Serena at 40—Nadal’s final act came not just in his prime, but on his own terms, as he turns 39 today.

Watches and tennis have long been intertwined, with brands like Rolex and Audemars Piguet adorning players’ wrists. Yet, Nadal stood apart as one of the few who wore a watch during matches. Since 2010, he collaborated with Richard Mille to create ultra-light, shock-resistant timepieces capable of withstanding the rigours of professional tennis. Their partnership yielded 11 exceptional models—including multiple record-breaking technical marvels—that cemented themselves as the pinnacle of RM's top flight timepieces of the last decade-and-a-half. Here's a closer look at that titanium—clad legacy:

Richard Mille RM 027 (2010)

Richard Mille’s first creation for Nadal arrived in 2010: the RM 027. This tourbillon was purpose-built for the rigours of professional tennis, balancing form and function with remarkable precision. The case is a carbon composite, designed for strength and durability. The strap, made from flexible polycarbonate, fits snugly for play. But the real innovation is inside, with a movement crafted from titanium and a cutting-edge alloy called LITAL. The result? A featherlight, 50-piece marvel weighing less than 20 grams, strap included—at the time, the lightest watch ever made.

Richard Mille RM 035 (2011)

The RM 035, launched in 2011, saw Richard Mille and Nadal ditch the tourbillon but keep the technical swagger. Built with a magnesium-aluminium alloy case and a skeletonised dial, it was another technical wonder that pushed the limits of sports watchmaking. The real flex? It became the first Richard Mille to earn the Chronofiable certification—a brutal three-week test that simulates years of real-world wear through shocks, temperature shifts, humidity, and magnetic fields, proving the RM 035 was built to take a beating and keep ticking.

Richard Mille RM 27-01 (2013)

The next chapter in the Nadal-Richard Mille saga came in 2013 with the RM 27-01. After a two-year wait, the pair returned with a second-generation model that somehow shaved even more weight off the original—this one tipping the scales at just 18.83 grams. But it wasn’t just about the numbers. The RM 27-01 introduced a cable-suspension system that could take an eye-watering 5,000 Gs of force, making it as tough as it was light.

Richard Mille RM 35-01 (2014)

The RM 35-01 dropped in 2014, marking the second generation of the RM 035. While it stuck close to the original’s formula, there were a few new tricks in the mix. The case got a more intricate design, the dial a bit flashier, with splashes of red and yellow paying tribute to Nadal’s Spanish roots. Under the hood, the movement upgraded from the RMUL1 to the RMUL3—lighter by a fraction (just 4 grams) but stronger, with a 55-hour power reserve thanks to its double-barrel system. A subtle evolution, but one that shows the RM 35-01 isn’t just a lightweight—it’s built for endurance too.

Richard Mille RM 27-02 (2015)

In 2015, Richard Mille and Nadal took the RM 027 series up a notch with the RM 27-02. Visually, it stood out with its bold red-clay strap—a nod to the courts that made Nadal a legend. But the real headline was inside: the RM 27-02 introduced the first-ever skeletonised “unibody” baseplate, where the case and baseplate were fused into a single piece. This clever engineering move made the watch more resistant to impacts—perfect for the brutal forehands Nadal dishes out on court.

Richard Mille RM 35-02 (2016)

In 2016, Nadal and Richard Mille circled back to the RM 035 line with the RM 35-02. This time, it came in two flavours—classic black or a bold, punchy red that shook up the aesthetic. The red version wasn’t just a new look; it introduced a game-changer under the hood: an automatic movement. For the first time in the lineup, the RM 35-02 ditched manual winding, adding convenience without compromising on that ultra-light, high-performance DNA.

Richard Mille RM 27-03 (2017)

In 2017, Nadal and Richard Mille came out swinging with not one, not two, but three new pieces—and leading the charge was the RM 27-03. This was the boldest RM 027 yet, with a case and strap drenched in fiery red and yellow, a loud and proud nod to the Spanish flag. The technical flex matched the visual punch: inside was a brand-new tourbillon movement that could take a staggering 10,000 Gs of shock—an industry first, and a reminder that Richard Mille doesn’t just build watches, they build engineering marvels.

Richard Mille RM 035 Toro Americas Editions (2017)

2017 also saw the launch of two exclusive models for the American market—likely a nod to Nadal’s third U.S. Open win. The RM 035 Black Toro and RM 035 Gold Toro both play on one of Nadal’s nicknames, The Bull. The Black Toro takes design cues from the original RM 035 but packs in the automatic RMAL1 caliber from the RM 35-02. The Gold Toro, on the other hand, swaps out the usual case material for a flashier 18-karat rose gold (pictured above), adding a touch of luxury to the lineup.

Richard Mille RM 27-04 (2020)

After a few years off, Richard Mille and Nadal marked a decade of partnership with the RM 27-04—a watch as much a celebration as it was a flex of technical know-how. This model introduced TitaCarb, a carbon fibre-reinforced polyamide that’s as strong as steel but far lighter, pushing the envelope on materials yet again. Visually, it stood out with a dial designed like a tennis racket, complete with fine metal mesh “strings”. Under the hood, the new calibre could withstand an eye-watering 12,000 Gs—proof that after 10 years, the RM x Nadal partnership was still breaking boundaries.

Richard Mille RM 35-03 (2023)

In December 2023, as Rafa announced his long-awaited comeback, Richard Mille dropped the RM 35-03—the next chapter in their storied partnership. This model came in three bold variations: blue Quartz TPT with a white caseband, white Quartz TPT and Carbon TPT with a Carbon caseband, and an all-Carbon TPT version. But the real trick? The butterfly rotor, which lets you tweak the rotor’s geometry and control the winding speed based on how you move. It’s a reminder that, with Richard Mille, there’s always more than meets the eye.

Richard Mille RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon (2025)

This one’s big—possibly the last watch Nadal will co-design with Richard Mille. It’s the culmination of a journey that began with the original RM 027 Tourbillon in 2010; a watch that weighed just 18 grams and could take 800 Gs of force. Fast forward to today, and the RM 27-05 has smashed those records: it’s just 11.5 grams and can withstand a mind-bending 14,000 Gs. Achieving that took 4,000 hours of development, resulting in the lightest and toughest manual-winding tourbillon ever made. A fitting high note for an extraordinary partnership.