Record-breaking 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal thanked Serena Williams for her comments about him, calling her one of the most remarkable women athletes in sports history. As the 23-time Grand Slam champ finished practice yesterday and began to leave the court, her arms were extended to greet Rafael Nadal. Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams stopped to say hello when Serena left his practice court, while Rafael went over to hers. He asked her how she was doing, and she said congratulations on everything. Tennis royalty Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams shared a special moment before their Wimbledon first-round meeting; the duo were seen having a chat at All England Club.
Serena Williams fell to Unseeded Frenchwoman Harmony Tahn in their first meeting on the women’s tennis circuit since injury forced her to withdraw from the opening round at the Wimbledon Championships last year. One of the greatest ever, she nearly had the fairytale comeback, but Wimbledon debutant Harmony Tan defeated her in the tiebreak after a tough three sets 5-7 6-3 6-7 (7-10). At 40 years old, still seeking a staggering 24th Career Grand Slam Singles Title, one of the all-time greats bravely fought back to take a second set, but Wimbledon debutant Harmony Tan held her nerve when it counted the most, winning the deciding match in a tiebreak.
After her monumental 22nd Grand Slam title victory at the French Open earlier this month, the status of Rafael Nadal for Wimbledon was highly debatable, with the revelation about the extent of her chronic foot injury and the lengths she would take in order to compete at Wimbledon. Rafael Nadal played the entirety of the French Open while anaesthetising his problematic left foot but has received treatment since and was moving well Tuesday. The 36-year-old is a favourite to win Wimbledon 2022 and will hope that his continued issues with his foot injury do not cause him any problems against Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina in the first round. On the second day of Wimbledon 2022, Rafael Nadal will start his quest to claim a record-breaking 23rd grand slam, having already won this year’s Australian and French Opens.
Rafael Nadal went to the courts at Aorangi Park for a one-hour workout after defeating Francisco Cerundolo in the first round of Wimbledon, his first game on grass in three years, to train for his next outing at the event, a second-round encounter against Ricardas Berankis. Accompanied by two of his instructors, Francis Roig and Marc Lopez, the 22-time Grand Slam winner worked on his adaptation to the surface with one eye on the obstacles that await him at the All England Tennis Club.
