More than one was happy for the defeat of Rafael Nadal in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open. And although the departure of the Spaniard opens the way for him to the top of the table, there is a group of Americans who showed their feelings for him .
great result obtained by Mackenzie McDonald. One of them was her compatriot Frances Tiafoe, who even spoke with McDonald in the preview to give him advice on how to face a commitment against Nadal in Grand Slams. “I am very happy for Mackey, victories against the GOAT team are never easy, now he will have something to tell his grandchildren and be happy for a while.
Selfishly, I would have loved to face Rafa again here, now I have the experience of having sold him in New York, a game that changed my life», commented Tiafoe, who had planned to face the Spaniard in the round of 16. Frances wished her compatriot good luck, hoping to cross paths with him later in the tournament: «I hope Mackey moves on and we play the fourth round together, it would be kind of a win for both of us.» Grand Slam winner: «Rafa has been thinking about the injury issue for a long time. I don’t know where his body is today, but he is still an absolute legend.» US Open, the American defeated the Spaniard in four sets (6-4, 4-6, 6-4 and 6-3), in the most important victory of his career.
Do you think Frances Tiafoe could have beaten Nadal in Australia too?
Nadal’s contribution to tennis knows no limits
In a conversation with Eurosport, Becker reflected on the legacy that former World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has left behind in the sport.
“He is not a tennis legend. He is a legend of the sport, he is one of the most important athletes of the last 25 years,” said the 55-year-old. «He’s made his country even more popular, he can become president if he wants to, but I think he’s going to pick up a racket again,» Becker said.
“Will he play until he is 40 years old? I don’t think so, yesterday [referring to Nadal’s Australian Open loss against McDonald and his injury] It is already a first step towards your retirement. An injury like this is hard and at this age it takes even longer to get back in shape, ”he said.
