Rafael Nadal returned to Melbourne not as a competitor this time, but as a supporter -- backing fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz ahead of the Australian Open final.
The match against Rafa in Australia for the title 14 years back was a massive chapter in their legacies as they gave their all in a five-set masterclass that lasted almost six hours, with Djokovic edging out Nadal.
A year before he won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2005, Rafa made his debut in India at the Chennai Open.
Carlos Alcaraz praised Novak Djokovic as an inspiration and gave a shout-out to compatriot Rafa Nadal after downing the Serbian great in four sets on Sunday to claim his first Australian Open title.
Novak Djokovic went down fighting 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 to Alcaraz, who bagged his first Melbourne Park title and became the youngest man to win all four majors.
Carlos Alcaraz says winning all four Grand Slams at 22 has only fuelled his hunger, but the world No. 1 insists he won't chase a calendar Slam, choosing instead to take the majors one at a time.
Stanislas Wawrinka will hang up his racquet at the end of 2026, the three-times Grand Slam champion announced on Friday, bringing down the curtain on a 24-year professional career that saw him gatecrash tennis's elite during the sport's golden era.
'The only reason I come back is because of the love you (fans) give me'
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz clash in the Australian Open final with history on the line as Djokovic chases a record 25th Slam and Alcaraz eyes a career Grand Slam.
The event comes at a time when tennis is facing criticism over its relentless tour schedule.
'I look forward to visiting Newport next August to celebrate this special moment with the tennis community.'
Rafael Nadal will play at the Australian Open in January
Rafael Nadal's championship point winning racket from his 2007 French Open final victory over Roger Federer was sold for more than $118,000 at an auction on Monday, ranking among the highest-priced such memorabilia.
Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi overcame China's Zhang-Qian Wei to enter the second round of the junior girls' singles event at the US Open.
Roger and Mirka was also seen speaking with a few students of the Academy.
With Novak Djokovic having overtaken his impressive haul of most major titles in men's tennis, Rafael Nadal conceded the Serbian is the best player in history.
Nadal appeared close to retiring mid-match but found the will to beat Fritz
Speaking further, the 1983 World Cup winning star reflected on Virat Kohli's mindset ahead of the challenging Australian tour, underlining the mental demands the series will bring.
Following a hip surgery, Rafael Nadal's season is all but over.
Hardik Pandya turned heads off the field, wearing a jaw-dropping a Richard Mille RM 27-04 watch during Asia Cup training, valued between Rs 15 crore and Rs 20 crore.
'Let's be confident, let's be positive and let's see what's going on'
Spain's King Felipe VI on Thursday granted tennis great Rafa Nadal the noble title of marquis, recognising his contribution to the nation through sporting prowess, according to a royal household statement.
He also overtook his career-best 65-season win tally of 2023 with this win.
'He doesn't play T20 cricket. So, he will not be a part of the World Cup in 2026 in India. But when they go to 2027 in South Africa, he will be 40 years old. And that's a big number in sport.'
The World No 1, who extended his hardcourt winning streak to 26 matches, will play against Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semi-finals.
On the anniversary of the day he first walked on to the Roland Garros court 20 years ago, Rafael Nadal returned as a hero to be celebrated by a crowd that has always embraced him as one of their own.
'Novak is playing here, so it's easier. But Andy and Roger coming meant a lot to me because they represent a very important part of my tennis career.'
'But it's not something that I really focus on. That's not really my goal.'
Nadal took to X on Monday and expressed his gratitude to his long-time rivals for their presence at the tribute.
Jannik Sinner had to dig deep to get the better of Auger-Aliassime in the second semi-final.
Rafael Nadal married his childhood sweetheart Maria Francisca Perello on Saturday
Rafael Nadal is the oldest title winner in the history of the clay-court tournament.
The 22-time major champion Rafael Nadal addressed the prospect that 2024 could be his final year as an ATP professional, confessing that it is indeed a reality that he might hang up his racquets at the end of next season.
Novak Djokovic said he owes much of his success to his former rivals Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner swept past Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-0, 6-2 on Thursday to reach the Cincinnati Open semi-finals, the world number one extending his hardcourt winning streak to 25 matches.
A statue to honor British tennis great Andy Murray is in the works with installation at the All England Club in London planned for 2027.
Draper, 23, has won only two matches in three previous visits to Wimbledon. But the past 12 months has seen him evolve from a player regarded as physically fragile to a beast of the courts with the weapons to challenge the very best.
A clash of nerves, brilliance, and next-gen firepower-Alcaraz showed once again he's made for the biggest stages. As the tennis world erupted, legends led the tributes.
Play was suspended on court 1 before the 5th set at 10.18pm, 40 minutes before the 11 PM curfew, leaving Fritz and the crowd furious.
The Rafael Nadal asteroid, currently located between Mars and Jupiter, is 4 kilometers in diameter and travels through space at a speed of 20 km per second.
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