Sierra, who had already checked out of her accommodation, learned only at lunchtime on Monday that Belgium's Greet Minnen had pulled out of the tournament and that she had been selected in the draw for a lucky loser spot in the main draw.
Often overshadowed by his classic duels with Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal's rivalry with Novak Djokovic has been brewing slowly and it will come to the boil on Sunday when the world's two best players contest the 125th Wimbledon men's final.
Roger Federer, being the gentleman he is, accepted Rafael Nadal's invite to launch the 9-time French Open champion's tennis academy in Spain.
'In some ways it is good, maybe, if that was my last match because I lost my first match in the Davis Cup and I lost my last one. We close the circle'
'It has been unforgettable, and I can only say 'thank you'. It has been an incredible journey. It's very difficult, but life and my body have been sending signals to me for a long time.'
Rafa Nadal's coach's mood changed when he found out the World No 1 was scheduled to play on uncovered Court One for his quarter-final against Mardy Fish on Wednesday.
Nadal confirmed the rumours that he will be a father soon.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will attempt to set a world record for attendance at a tennis match, with the help of some celebrity guests, when they play an exhibition game in Cape Town in February.
The 13-time French Open champion is chasing a record-extending 22nd men's Grand Slam title. But time may be running out for Rafa who has been suffering from a chronic foot injury that had put his participation at the clay court major in doubt.
Watching the clash at the Court Philippe Chatrier were movie stars Hugh Grant, Sienna Miller, Michael Douglas and Demi Moore and royalty, including Spain's King Felipe VI, Norway's Crown Prince Haakon, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
Carlos Alcaraz fought back from the brink to outlast top seed Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(10-2) in a French Open final for the ages on Sunday to retain his crown and cement his status as the Prince of Clay in Roland Garros' post-Rafa Nadal era.
Rafa Nadal made light work of Italian Andreas Seppi to reach the final of the Hamburg Open on Saturday and will now face Fabio Fognini, who is chasing an almost unthinkable third claycourt victory over the Spaniard this season.
Rafael Nadal married his childhood sweetheart Maria Francisca Perello on Saturday
Novak Djokovic said the pursuit of Olympic gold left him without much in the tank for his US Open title defence.
Russian fourth seed Mikhail Youzhny made a winning start to the New Year as he routed world no. 2 Rafael Nadal 6-0, 6-1 in the final of the Chennai Open on Sunday.
Rafa Nadal could face world number one Novak Djokovic, defending champion Roger Federer or home favourite Andy Murray as early as the Wimbledon quarter-finals after being announced as fifth seed for the tournament on Wednesday.
Andy Murray reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the first time on Tuesday when defending champion Rafa Nadal quit with a right leg injury midway through the third set.
Rafael Nadal's preparations for Wimbledon were cut short when he was knocked out of the Halle Open by defending champion Philipp Kohlschreiber on Friday.
Carlos Alcaraz said he could hold his head high despite being unseated from his Wimbledon throne by Jannik Sinner on Sunday and the Spaniard praised their hot rivalry for being several notches higher than the others on the men's tour.
World number two Nadal's fate will rest on his final group match against Tsitsipas.
Novak Djokovic admitted reality was beginning to bite after the Serb was unable to bridge a 15-year age gap in a Wimbledon semi-final drubbing against Italian Jannik Sinner on Friday.
A true legend of the game who paved the way and taught so many of us how to be as a player and as a person.
A dominant Rafa Nadal dismantled fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-0, 6-2 on Saturday to win his second Mexican Open title and continue his successful comeback from a long injury lay-off.
Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal advanced to a mouthwatering semi-final showdown at the Rogers Cup after they crushed their quarter-final opponents in ruthless fashion on Friday.
Rafa Nadal branded comments made by former French tennis player Yannick Noah about doping as "stupid" on Sunday, saying they were the words of a "kid".
Dubbed the 'King of Clay' for his jaw-dropping 112-4 win-loss record at the Paris major, Rafael Nadal's last Roland Garros triumph came in 2022.
Rafa Nadal returned from an injury layoff to beat Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1 7-6(4) on Wednesday
As Rafael Nadal prepares to ride off into the sunset after a stellar career, his fellow professionals from eras old and new agree on one thing - the Spaniard remains an inspirational role model whose legacy has shaped tennis over the last 23 years.
Top seed Rafa Nadal ran hard-serving Canadian Milos Raonic ragged in a 7-5, 6-3 victory to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Japan Open on Thursday.
Launching outrageous winners left, right and centre, obscure Czech Lukas Rosol rocked Wimbledon's Centre Court to its foundations on Thursday by winning a final-set shootout after dusk against twice former champion Rafa Nadal.
Roger Federer faces a tough road to another Wimbledon final after Friday's draw threw Rafa Nadal and home favourite Andy Murray into the champion's path and cleared the way for world No 1 Novak Djokovic.
Rafa Nadal overpowered qualifier Go Soeda 6-3, 6-2 as he began the defence of his Japan Open title in a blur of swashbuckling winners on Tuesday.
Rafa Nadal made a dazzling start to his Wimbledon title defence with an easy win over American Michael Russell on Monday before home favourite Andy Murray produced some indoor fireworks to join the Spaniard in the second round.
Facts and figures on Sunday's all-Spanish men's French Open final between Rafa Nadal and David Ferrer.
Defending champion Rafa Nadal began his Italian Open campaign with an emphatic 6-3 6-1 victory over big-serving American John Isner to move into the last-16 on Wednesday.
Spaniard Rafa Nadal won his 67th career title with a 7-5, 7-5 victory against dangerous Italian Fabio Fognini in the final of the Hamburg Open on Sunday.
Roger Federer shrugged off his Madrid Open final defeat by Rafa Nadal as irrelevant, saying his claycourt season would be defined by his run at the French Open. Unsurprisingly, his victorious rival begged to differ.
World number one Rafa Nadal advanced to the semi-finals of the Thailand Open with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin on Friday.
Twice champion Rafa Nadal and triple winner Roger Federer barely raised a sweat as they each cruised into the third round of the Indian Wells ATP tournament with imperious victories on Sunday.
Spain's Rafa Nadal will face American Andy Roddick in the semi-finals of the Sony Ericsson Open after the pair enjoyed convincing victories on Wednesday.
