Rafael Nadal showed his endearing class during a Round of 32 victory at the Madrid Open, granting his opponent’s wish and giving up a piece of his kit after the match. For Argentinian pro Pedro Cachín, it’s a priceless souvenir from a legend of the sport. But, bizarrely, commentators online have questioned Nadal’s on-court etiquette, suggesting it isn’t appropriate for the world of tennis.
For the last 24 years, one left-handed Spaniard has graced the world’s biggest courts and served up some of the most clutch moments of the modern era. Alongside fellow tennis greats Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal has been emblematic of the greatness of this sport, both on and off the court, oozing class and charisma whenever he plays.
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Now 37, Nadal’s enjoying the twilight years of his career, missing tournaments due to ongoing injuries that have plagued the 22-time Grand Slam winner for years.
In Madrid, Nadal is on his final swansong; a farewell tour of the courts he’s graced over the years, competing against the fellow professionals he has inspired, passing more than just the metaphorical baton over the net.
During a Round of 32 match at the Madrid Open this week, Nadal overcame Pedro Cachín 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 to progress to the Quarter Finals. Following his victory, Nadal embraced his opponent at the net and was struck by Cachín’s request for a piece of his gear, as a souvenir of their match in the Spanish capital and as a mark of respect from one of the tennis great’s biggest supporters.
But one journalist, BBC tennis commentator David Law, wasn’t overly enamoured by the touching moment shared in Madrid, posting to his 50K followers on X: “Sorry Pedro, asking for your opponent’s shirt at the net ain’t it.”
Law quickly realised he was in the minority, with his tweet shared and reshared on the platform, receiving hundreds of replies from passionate tennis fans who felt he was way off the mark.
As Nadal continues his final tour, fans and fellow players alike will undoubtedly cherish every moment spent watching this tennis icon in action. A class act, on and off the court, Nadal is the embodiment of everything that is good with the sport and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more players asking for their own souvenir from the Spaniard’s illustrious career.