New Delhi: Rafael Nadal returned to the French Open for an emotional and unforgettable farewell at the Philippe‑Chatrier in Paris on Sunday. Nadal received a memorable tribute at Roland Garros, a tournament he dominated throughout his career, winning a record 14 titles. Nadal was joined by his greatest rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, in what was an emotional affair for the 22-time Grand Slam champion.
Nadal was also joined by British legend Andy Murray, who shared a great rivalry with him during his playing days. Following the event at Rolland Garros, Nadal revealed an interesting anecdote about his football banter with Murray during the Champions League earlier this season. The Spanish legend recalled how Murray poked fun at him after Arsenal knocked Real Madrid out of the Champions League.
Arsenal defeated Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League before crashing out of the competition after losing to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the semi-finals. Nadal revealed how Murray texted him after Arsenal’s win over Real Madrid to ask if he was doing ‘okay’. The Spaniard thought it was Murray being a nice friend, asking him about how he was doing, only to realise the joke later.
“My good friend Andy that I was not able to, we were not in touch for a while. The day that Arsenal beat Real Madrid. When the match just finished after 1 second, he text me a message,” Nadal said at a press conference in Paris.
“I’m gonna read because it’s quite good. So I feel that it’s quite interesting. Hey, Rafa, haven’t spoken to you in a while. Just checking in to make sure you are OK. So, honestly take me like 5 seconds. To realise what I was reading because at the beginning, I said, OK, he’s such a nice guy, he’s asking me about how I’m doing family hunt. After 5 seconds, I said this. Always British. British sense of humour. By the way, I didn’t text him back when Inter beat Arsenal (Arsenal lost to PSG),” he added, leaving the reporters in stitches.
Watch Rafael Nadal recalls epic football banter with Andy Murray:
Nadal’s footprint embedded at Court Philippe Chatrier
In a tribute to Nadal’s legacy at the French Open, the organisers unveiled a permanent footprint of the Spanish legend engraved into the clay court at the Court Philippe Chatrier. A 14-time champion, Nadal played his final match at the French Open in the first round last year, where he lost to Alexander Zverev. He retired from professional tennis in November last year after the Davis Cup final between Spain and Netherlands.
The legendary Rafael Nadal revealed how he enjoyed fun banter with Andy Murray after Arsenal beat Real Madrid in the Champions League this season. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
