(VIDEO) "Perfect like me or with holes in the middle?": Rafael Nadal hilariously quips after Andy Murray sets quicker grip challenge time
ATP
Being a competitive sportsman and one that is used to winning like Rafael Nadal, defeat doesn't come easy and he took part in the grip challenge at the Brisbane International and had a hilarious excuse and response to Andy Murray beating his time.
Nadal kicked off his comeback to ATP tour life by seeing off Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler which had many a fan purring about his potential Australian Open chances. But this fell flat against Jordan Thompson when he had three match points, but squandered them and also suffered a potential injury.
Most big names involved in Brisbane took part in the grip challenge where they were set the challenge to put the grip tape on the racquet in the shortest time possible. But Nadal instead of going for speed went for quality as he quipped while completing the task. "Then we need to analyze to the quality not only the speed," he said.
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As a result, 25 seconds wasn't the best time for the Spaniard and he was dealt a further blow when he found out that Andy Murray had completed the task in 11 seconds. He questioned if the Brit's craftsmanship was better: "But everything perfect like me or, [with] holes in the middle?" he asked.
To Rafael Nadal's credit amid the nit picking, Murray's effort did see him leave a small gap in the handle so Nadal's claims were valid albeit he didn't see the attempt before he did his.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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