Former world number one Rafael Nadal’s baby son applauded
his father’s drop shot during the Six Kings Slam. The 38-year-old, who has
already announced his retirement from professional tennis because of fitness
concerns after the upcoming Davis Cup, recently participated in an exhibition
event in Saudi Arabia.
Nadal lost in the third-place encounter to Serbia’s legendary
player Novak Djokovic in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6. During the match, the
legendary Spaniard was applauded by his baby son for a drop shot. The video was
released on the social media platform X, which was admired by fans in the tennis
community. Nadal, after the match, thanked his wife for helping him throughout his
career.
"My wife, Mery, we have been together for 19 years.
Thank you for everything you have done,” he said. “I think you have been the
perfect travel companion during all these years of my career. To come home and
see how my son is growing every day has been a force that has really kept me
alive and with the necessary energy to continue.”
Nadal has struggled with fitness concerns throughout his
career, but specially in the latter stages which is why he ended up missing six
out of eight Grand Slams in the last four two years. The former world number, who
is rated amongst the greatest men’s tennis player in the history in the Open
era, will finish his career with 22 Grand Slam titles, second-most and only
behind Djokovic (24).
Fourteen of those titles came while playing at the Roland
Garros which is why he is also known as the ‘King of Clay’. Nadal returned to
the court earlier this year after spending nearly 12 months on the sidelines
because of a hip injury. However, his return did not go as planned as he has only
managed to win 12 out of 19 matches in all competitions and suffered seven
defeats in the process.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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- This article is SPOT ON!!!Rapunzel04-09-2026
- This article is SPOT ON!!!Rapunzel04-09-2026
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mandoist04-09-2026 - Double Standards for the male players? Gross. BTW: This "apology" reads like the one his lawyers wrote for him when he had to go to the Kangaroo Court for slapping his girlfriend around.mandoist04-09-2026
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- From Day One, legalizing Sports Betting was never going to end well (for The Sport... not the thousands who lose their livelihoods and bank accounts). We're not even close to the end of the damage this is causing.mandoist03-09-2026
- In her defense... she has no "defense" and likely could not articulate it if she did.mandoist03-09-2026
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