(VIDEO) Rafael Nadal kicks off first round match between CE Manacor and Las Palmas at Copa del Ray

Spain’s legendary tennis star Rafael Nadal kicked off the Copa del Rey clash between CE Manacor & UD Las Palmas on Tuesday.

In a video that appeared on the social media platform X — previously known as Twitter — Nadal can be seen wearing a black suit as he kicked the ball ahead of the start of the match.

The 37-year-old is currently spending time on the sidelines as he continues to recover from a hip injury.

It was because of this reason Nadal did not feature in three out of the four Grand Slams in 2023.

He only appeared in the Australian Open this year where he was knocked out after losing the second-round tie.

Nadal is often regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men’s singles tennis in the Open era, having won 22 Grand Slam titles in his illustrious career.

His most successful competition has been the French Open where he has lifted the title 14 times which is also a record in the tournament’s history.

His last major triumph also came while playing at the Roland Garros in 2022 where he defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-3, 6-0.