At today's first day of tennis at the French Open, Rafael Nadal of Spain was honored for his historic achievements at the tournament and in his tennis career. He began his prepared statement with in French, which he read carefully and slowly. Then he switched to English, which he read somewhat faster but still with moments of uncertainty. Finally, he switched to Spanish, and his statement was not only more fluid but also richer and more moving (even from the perspective of my intermediate Spanish). I always wonder why tennis players so rarely speak in their native languages. Surely the tours and the tournaments could afford interpreters to translate their statements. (Andrew Shields, #111Words, 25 May 2025)