One month from his triumph in Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal has just won in Wimbledon his eighth Grand Slam title. In this victory, he was accompanied by a lightweight ally: the Richard Mille RM 027 tourbillon watch, the lightest mechanical watch in the world, displaying once again its incredible resistance to the intensity of the number one’s strokes, including his legendary two handed backhand.

Two years ago, when Richard Mille first encountered Rafael Nadal, they immediately got on very well with each other. Richard Mille appreciates the personality of the Spanish tennis player, his style and, of course, his powerful game. Merely offering him to be an ambassador to the brand was out of question: he had to be a true partner. As with Felipe Massa, who wears a Richard Mille watch in all Formula 1 Grand Prix since 2004, Richard Mille decided to create a watch so light and tough that Rafael Nadal would accept to wear it during all matches. The watch would also be a tourbillon.

The challenge seemed impossible to achieve, but thanks to Richard Mille’s capacity of innovation, the technical knowledge of his watchmakers and Rafael Nadal’s involvement testing several prototypes, the watch weighs less than 20 grams including the strap. The result being that it was ready last June for its first public appearance at Roland Garros.

Today, at only 24 years old and with 8 Grand Slam titles, Rafael Nadal enters the hall of fame of legendary tennis players with a more than promising future.

The RM 027 tourbillon has passed with complete success the tests of Roland Garros and Wimbledon. It will once again be on Rafael Nadal’s wrist next August during the US Open.