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Iga Swiatek explains what ‘inspiration’ Rafael Nadal does that ‘impresses’ her the most

By Al Faqiih February 26, 2025

Iga Swiatek has enjoyed a solid start to her 2025 campaign, reaching the quarter-finals of all four events she’s participated in.

The world number two began her season with a trip to the United Cup final with Poland, losing out to the United States, 2-0.

She was then just a point away from reaching the Melbourne final before Swiatek lost to Madison Keys in a thriller on Rod Laver Arena.

After her defeat down under, Swiatek traveled to the Middle East for the two WTA 1000 events in Doha, and Dubai.

Losing her fifth straight encounter with the Latvian star, Swiatek fell to defeat against Jelena Ostapenko in the semi-finals of the Qatar Open, where she was the three-time defending champion.

Heading to Dubai, Swiatek lost to Mirra Andreeva in the last eight, as the Russian 17-year-old went on to win the title.

As the Pole now looks ahead to the WTA 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells, and Miami, she has taken the time to reflect on her biggest inspiration in tennis.

Iga Swiatek says ‘inspiration’ Rafael Nadal impressed her most with his ‘values’

Speaking on her new website, Swiatek explained how she originally felt about tennis as a youngster and named the ATP star who inspired her the most.

“Tennis was not love at first sight,” she said.

“Competing and pushing my own limits was, I had to mature into a passion for tennis.”

“Without a doubt, my biggest sports inspiration and I probably won’t surprise anyone here has always been Rafael Nadal.

“Mastery in sports is one thing, but what impresses me the most is what values he lives by and what kind of person he is despite his incredible success.

“This is definitely the path I would like to follow.”

Swiatek and Nadal played together in the ‘Tennis Plays for Peace’ event ahead of the 2022 US Open, facing off against Coco Gauff and John McEnroe in a light-hearted exhibition match.

The Pole and Spaniard won 10-8, both hitting ‘tweeners’ during a thrilling point at 3-1, which got fans out of their seats.

Swiatek then explained how her tennis success has affected her over recent years, admitting that it can sometimes feel ‘overwhelming.’

“Tennis has made me a recognizable person in Poland and in many places around the world,” she said.

“People and the media are often interested in me and in what I am doing (which can sometimes be overwhelming), and I want to use this attention to bring about positive change.

“That’s why I speak openly about the importance of mental health, the joy and benefits of physical activity and sports, especially for children and young people.”

Comparing Iga Swiatek and Rafael Nadal at the French Open

Swiatek has spoken openly about her admiration for Nadal throughout her career to date and has worked hard to replicate the successes he enjoyed on the ATP Tour.

Nadal won a record 14 French Open titles during his time as a professional, a record that many believe will never be touched.

Swiatek’s four Roland Garros crowns see her closer to Nadal’s record than any other active tennis player, as she looks almost as dominant as the Spaniard on the Parisian clay.

Player	Titles	Most consecutive titles	Win/Loss record	Win %
Rafael Nadal	14	5	112-4	97
Iga Swiatek	4	3*	35-2	95

Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek’s record at the French Open

The Pole has won 35 of her 37 matches in Paris, lifting the trophy at each of the past three tournaments.

Swiatek’s 2024 French Open victory was one of her most dominant, dropping just 11 games in her final three matches as she won her fourth Roland Garros title.

When she returns to the French capital later this year, she’ll do so having not lost at the event in over 1,350 days.

Entering as a heavy favorite, the pressure will be firmly on Swiatek’s shoulders, as she will perhaps look to Nadal for inspiration once more when the French Open kicks off on Sunday, May 25.

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What is Rafael Nadal’s Net Worth?

By Al Faqiih February 19, 2025

Some of us never quite get over that silver medal we won back in high school trampolining, others just win, and win, and win again.

One of those men is Rafael Nadal – and his net worth isn’t the only reason he’s always smiling.

Nadal’s record in professional tennis is exceptional. We’re talking 22 Grand Slam men’s single titles, 92 ATP-level singles titles, and a record-breaking 14 French Opens (with an absolutely ridiculous 112-4 career record there).

He was first or second favorite with tennis sportsbooks to win the French open for an astonishing 16 years straight from 2006 to 2021.

The man even has a couple of Olympic gold medals buried somewhere beneath his boxes of trophies.

One major benefit of all that success is a healthy bank account. Let’s slice through Nadal’s net worth and see what we’re dealing with.

Rafael Nadal’s net worth

Brace yourselves, as Nadal’s net worth might shock you.

His total net worth is estimated to be in the region of $220 million. That’s enough for him to pay all the prize money to every player at the Wimbledon Championships for three years straight and still have enough left over to buy a 100ft superyacht.

And all he had to do was be the number one tennis player in the world for 209 weeks, including one spell of over a year straight. Easy.

Career earnings

Nadal’s net worth includes around $135 million in prize money alone since he turned pro in 2001.

It’s not surprising when you consider how many titles he’s amassed in both singles and doubles tennis.

Nadal had been part of the top three tennis players in the world for more than a decade alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

For years, those three, along with Andy Murray made the game look easy – and working out how to bet on tennis easier still.

Nadal bagged his first Grand Slam, and the first on that record-breaking streak of French Open wins back in 2005.

He was just 19. In fact, had the tournament been held a week earlier, he’d have only been 18.

And he might not be done yet. Although Nadal previously suggested he might retire after the current season, he more recently indicated that he was “enjoying playing tennis” and wasn’t ready to “close, 100 per cent, the door”.

Sounds like the King of Clay still has some oil in the tank.

Endorsements and Business Ventures

As one of the ‘big three’ in tennis for so long, and boosted even more by his famous rivalry with Djokovic, there aren’t many sports fans who don’t know the name Rafael Nadal.

His net worth has certainly benefited from this celebrity status, even when not among the favorites for Wimbledon and other major tournaments.

Nadal’s business ventures are impressive. He’s enjoyed a slew of sponsorships and endorsements over the years, covering everything from high-end fashion (Emporio Armani) to cars (Kia Motors).

One particularly interesting partnership Nadal signed was with PokerStars, one of the most popular online poker sites in the world.

This has given players a chance to see another side of Nadal, taking him on at the digital felt and sitting across from him at live tournaments.

You could even have won a weekend away to Majorca with the former world number one to play some poker, break bread, and hit a few balls on the court.

We almost forgot – he also has a $10 million deal with little-known sportswear outfit Nike.

He’s done his own thing, too. Nadal opened the Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy in 2016, delivering a tennis experience mainly aimed at youngsters.

Visitors can check out the museum, engage in one-on-one tennis coaching and much more. And all for the low, low price of more than $60,000 per year.

Conclusion

When you’re the best in the world at anything, whether it’s sports, cooking or dancing, there’ll always be a queue of people lining up to pay for your expertise.

Nadal’s net worth is a testament to his immense skill, dedication, and incredible achievements in the world of tennis.

The 38-year-old pro is in the later years of his career, as reflected by his current world ranking which is way down the list, around the 250-mark.

He is due to play for Spain at the 2024 Olympics in Paris in what may be his final tournament.

Although his net worth of $220 million isn’t going to skyrocket from career earnings from now, between the Nadal academy and his other business ventures, it’s safe to say the tennis legend has a few aces up his sleeve yet.

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The 7 men with the most wins over top 10 players: Novak Djokovic with 260, Rafael Nadal 3rd

By Al Faqiih February 17, 2025

The Big Three of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all feature highly on the list of players with the most top 10 wins.

Four men have won over 150 matches against top 10 players, while just two have surpassed the 200-win milestone.

Here, we look at the seven players who have won the most matches against opponents in the top 10 of the ATP Rankings.

7. Pete Sampras – 124

Pete Sampras accumulated 124 wins over top 10-ranked players in the world.

The American’s maiden top 10 win came against Tim Mayotte in Detroit in 1988, while his last was against Andre Agassi in the 2002 US Open final — the last match of his career.

Sampras won 10 or more matches against top 10 opponents in seven different campaigns (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999). His 14 top 10 triumphs in 1995 is his best tally.

6. John McEnroe – 128

John McEnroe registered 128 victories against top 10 players in the ATP Rankings.

The American scored his first-ever win over a top 10 player against Wojciech Fibak in Indianapolis in 1977, and his last against Guy Forget at the 1992 Wimbledon Championships.

McEnroe earned 10 or more top 10 wins in seven different seasons (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985). His best single-season top 10 win total is the 24 he compiled in 1984.

5. Jimmy Connors – 131

Jimmy Connors won 131 matches against top 10 opponents in his career.

The American’s maiden top 10 win came against Tom Okker at the 1973 US Open, while his last came against Michael Stich in Memphis in 1992.

4. Ivan Lendl – 166

Ivan Lendl recorded 166 triumphs against players in the top 10 of the ATP Rankings.

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The Czech-American earned his first top 10 win against Arthur Ashe at the 1979 French Open and his last against Boris Becker at the 1993 Tokyo Indoor.

Lendl registered 10 or more top 10 wins in eight different seasons (1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1989). His 22 wins in 1986 is his best single-season tally.

3. Rafael Nadal – 186

Rafael Nadal amassed 186 wins over players ranked in the top 10 in his career.

The Spaniard’s first victory over a top 10 player came against Albert Costa at the 2003 Monte Carlo Masters, while his final one was against Casper Ruud at the 2022 ATP Finals.

Nadal won 10 or more matches against top 10 opponents in 10 different seasons (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2018). His best top 10 win tally in a season is the 24 he compiled in 2013.

2. Roger Federer – 224

Roger Federer earned 224 victories against opponents in the top 10 of the ATP Rankings.

The Swiss’ maiden top 10 win was against Carlos Moya in Marseille in 1999, while his last came against Novak Djokovic at the 2019 ATP Finals.

Federer recorded 15 or more top 10 wins in nine different campaigns (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2015). His 19 wins in 2006 is his best single-season total.

1. Novak Djokovic – 260

Novak Djokovic holds the record for the most matches won against players ranked in the top 10 with a remarkable tally of 260.

The Serbian’s first-ever triumph over a top 10 opponent came against Mariano Puerta at the 2005 Paris Masters, while his most recent was against Carlos Alcaraz at the 2025 Australian Open.

Djokovic has registered 15 or more top 10 wins in nine different seasons (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2023). His 31 wins over top 10 players in 2015 is an all-time single-season record.

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Iga Swiatek makes a bold Rafael Nadal claim as she compares her playing style with his

By Al Faqiih February 14, 2025

Iga Swiatek shared some huge praise for Rafael Nadal as she explains how their playing styles are similar.

The 23-year-old grew up idolizing the Spaniard and has named him as her biggest inspiration within the sport and her favourite player.

It is clear to see how the 22-time Grand Slam champion has influenced her game given Iga Swiatek’s levels of intensity and heavy groundstrokes.

But the World number two has now provided some insight into how she believes her game mirrors that of the 14-time French Open champion.

How did Iga Swiatek compare her game to Rafael Nadal’s?

Rafael Nadal developed a reputation for using high amounts of topspin with acute angels to drag his opponents out of position and wear them down.

Swiatek also implements topspin into her game and in addition to using her excellent footwork to move up the court quickly and take control of the rallies, hallmarks of Nadal’s game.

Swiatek has been compared to Nadal in terms of their dominance at Roland Garros, where they hold a combined 18 titles.

But during an interview with The Athletic, The Pole explained how they are similar from the perspective on how they played the game.

“It’s just physics. On clay, it’s going to be a bit easier because my topspin will jump higher and my movements will be maybe better than what other girls can bring with the sliding and changing direction,” Swiatek said.

“But on hard courts, I feel like I’m a good player as well. It was the same with Rafa.”

Iga Swiatek makes a bold Rafael Nadal claim

Early in his career Nadal’s detractors did not believe he could achieve plenty of success away from clay courts.

But the 38-year-old proved his doubters wrong by succeeding on every surface, winning multiple titles on grass and hard courts, inducing the Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the US Open.

After showing he could adapt to all surfaces throughout his career, Swiatek called Nadal the greatest of all time on all surfaces.

“Everybody always talked about clay, but like he’s the GOAT (greatest of all time) basically on every surface,” she added. “Also winning Wimbledon twice. Not every player can have these results on even one surface.

“This is something that people are focusing on, and I am talking about this as well, because clay is where I have the most fun, but I love hard courts as well.

“And I feel like I have my weapons and I can use them. I want to be an all surface player for sure.”

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US Open’s Mixed Doubles Shake-Up: Will Federer and Nadal Come

By Al Faqiih February 13, 2025

US Open’s Mixed Doubles Shake-Up: Will Federer and Nadal Come Out of Retirement for a Fan Week Spectacle?

The US Open just dropped a game-changing bombshell—Mixed Doubles is moving to Fan Week with a drastically altered format, and Andy Roddick believes this could open the door for some of tennis’ biggest legends to step back onto the court. Could we really see Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, or even Serena Williams back in action for a high-profile doubles cameo?

“I will tell you this, I want to put this out there right now,” Roddick said with a grin. “There are some recently retired players… I don’t know about a little Roger and Serena action.”

And what about Rafael Nadal, who remains on the comeback trail but is winding down his career?

“I don’t know what Rafa is doing right now. I am just saying, let’s throw a bomb of enthusiasm into this thing! This is just me wishing, I don’t know.”

The prospect of seeing Federer and Nadal teaming up—or even clashing in mixed doubles—would set the tennis world ablaze. Imagine Serena Williams or even Venus Williams making a surprise return. If the revamped format makes it more of a fun, exhibition-style event, the possibility of legendary cameos becomes tantalizingly real.

Not Everyone is on Board—Doubles Stars Slam the Decision

While Roddick and others see this as an exciting shake-up, established doubles players are furious. Many are calling the move a blatant dismissal of professional doubles players’ careers, reducing their opportunities on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

Jan Zielinski was particularly blunt, blasting the lack of player input.

“No communication with the players, no thought behind what it means to some people’s careers, no respect to the history and traditions,” Zielinski wrote. “Sad to see.”

French doubles star Edouard Roger-Vasselin echoed the frustration, labeling the decision “terrible” for professional doubles players who rely on Grand Slam mixed doubles for ranking points and career opportunities.

Australian doubles specialist Ellen Perez went even further, taking to social media to call out the US Open’s decision in scathing terms:

“Tell us that you think doubles players are trash, that tradition is overrated and job opportunity is a thing of the past without actually saying it.”

A Risky Move or a Brilliant Innovation?

The new format undeniably shifts the focus away from traditional doubles and towards a more entertainment-driven experience. The wildcard system means that high-profile names—perhaps even celebrity pairings—could grab the spotlight, transforming Mixed Doubles into a fan-favorite spectacle rather than a competitive discipline.

For fans, the idea of Federer, Nadal, Serena, or even Andy Murray stepping onto the doubles court in front of roaring crowds during Fan Week is a dream scenario. But for professional doubles players, it’s yet another reminder of how their discipline often takes a back seat to singles stars.

Whether this move reinvigorates mixed doubles or sparks ongoing controversy, one thing is clear: The US Open has just shaken up the tennis world in a major way.

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Rafael Nadal enjoys retirement as Spanish sport celebrates its

By Al Faqiih February 12, 2025

Rafael Nadal enjoys retirement as Spanish sport celebrates its hero: “Now is the time to organise my next chapter”

Two-time Olympic champion Nadal admitted that he has not picked up a tennis racket since retiring from the sport in November 2024.

Rafael Nadal is enjoying retirement life to the fullest.

The two-time Olympic champion brought an end to his professional tennis career in November 2024 with 92 career singles titles and 22 Grand Slams.

Nadal has since been away from the limelight but briefly stepped back into it on Tuesday (11 February) as he was honoured in a tribute event at the Spanish Olympic Committee headquarters in Madrid.

Olympians, athletes and invitees all wanted to pay their own homage to the 14-time Roland Garros champion, many desperate to meet their idol.

When the auditorium got their first glimpse of Nadal, everyone rose from their seats to clamber around him: they were in the presence of a legend.

Rafael Nadal’s career in numbers
Rafael Nadal: I hope my legacy is about who I was off the tennis court

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Former World No. 5 chooses greatest player of all time between Djokovic and Nadal

By Al Faqiih January 27, 2025

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, along with Roger Federer, are often at the center of the ‘greatest player of all time’ debate in tennis. Here’s what a former World No. 5 with major wins over the ‘Big 3’ has to say about it.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who retired after the 2022 French Open following a remarkable 18-year career in which he won 18 singles titles, has added his voice to the ongoing debate about the greatest tennis player of all time. As many other tennis legends, his choice is between two of the biggest names in the past two decades, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

In an interview with Le Republicain Lorrain in November 2023, Tsonga, a former World No. 5, was definitive in his assessment, naming Djokovic as the best in history. “The GOAT is Djokovic. And I think he can go for 25, 26, 27… maybe 28 Grand Slam tournaments. You never know,” the 38-year-old stated.

Djokovic currently holds the record in the Open Era with 24 Grand Slam singles titles. He still continues to build on an impressive career that also includes an Olympic gold medal, 40 Masters 1000 titles, and 428 weeks as world No. 1. The Frenchman, who beat all members of the Big 3, shared similar sentiments on Instagram in 2023.

“I’m rather from ‘Djoko’ school because I’ve been around him for many years,” he wrote, after a fan asked him to choose between the Serbian and Jannik Sinner. “I think he is the most complete player on the circuit. He is the one with the most guns on his asset. And he proved again this year that the level at which he evolved has not yet been reached.”

Tsonga previously said Nadal could be the GOAT

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic — 2K31J4K London, UK. 24th Sep, 2022. 23rd September 2022; O2, London England: Laver Cup international tennis tournament: Novak Djokovic of Team Europe speaks with Rafael Nadal and Rodger Federer during the break in their doubles match against Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of Team World Credit: Action Plus Sports Images/Alamy Live News

While Tsonga now firmly places Djokovic at the top, his stance hasn’t always been the same. In 2021, during a press conference in French, Tsonga’s comments leaned toward Rafael Nadal as the greatest.

“Considering that he is five years younger than Federer, what he has done is exceptional. Today we cannot question that he was the one who won the most,” Tsonga said. At the time, Nadal was closing in on Federer’s then-record 20 Grand Slam titles.

Tsonga also added, “If he were to overtake Roger with the number of Grand Slam titles, there would definitely be no more debate on the greatest player of all time.” While Nadal briefly surpassed Federer, Djokovic has since gone further and cementing his status between the three legends.

Tsonga’s impressive stats against the Big 3

Tsonga’s career featured numerous battles against Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic, and his record in these encounters highlights his exceptional talent. He is one of an elite group of players to defeat all three legends when they were ranked world No. 1.

This feat includes victories over Federer in Montreal in 2009, Nadal at Queen’s Club in 2011, and Djokovic in Toronto in 2014. The only other players to accomplish this are Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro.

Tsonga is one of the only three players, alongside Stan Wawrinka and Tomas Berdych, with wins against Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray at Grand Slam events. His triumphs include defeating Murray and Nadal during his breakthrough run at the 2008 Australian Open, Djokovic at the 2010 Australian Open, and Federer at both 2011 Wimbledon and 2013 Roland Garros.

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Rafael Nadal: I hope my legacy is about who I was off the tennis court

By Al Faqiih January 21, 2025

Rafael Nadal is one of the greatest tennis players of all time. That is a fact.

His 92 career titles, including Olympic gold in 2008, speak for themselves.

But what he did on the court is not the kind of legacy the Spaniard wants to leave following his retirement.

Instead, he hopes people look back on his career with admiration for the kind of person he is.

“I hope that my legacy is that I always tried to treat others with deep respect,” he wrote for The Players’ Tribune.

“Look around you and notice the people you admire… how they treat people, what you love about them – act like them and you will probably live a happy life.

“I carried that lesson with me into every match I ever played; I was not fueled by hatred of my rivals, but a deep respect and admiration.

“I simply tried to wake up every morning and get a little bit better, so I could keep up with them. It didn’t always work! But I tried… I always tried.”

Rafael Nadal’s career in numbers: All titles, records and awards
Rafael Nadal says ‘adios’ to tennis for good

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The assumption Roger Federer made about Rafael Nadal after losing

By Al Faqiih January 10, 2025

The assumption Roger Federer made about Rafael Nadal after losing to him at the Australian Open back in 2012

With the Australian Open draw now released, players are now hard at work to ready themselves for their first-round matchups in Melbourne.

Ten-time winner Novak Djokovic will look to exact revenge on 2024 Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, who beat him in last year’s semi-finals.

The Serbian star is now the only member of the ‘big three’ left competing, after Rafael Nadal retired from tennis in 2024, and Roger Federer hung up the racket in 2022.

Nadal and Federer combined for eight titles at Melbourne Park, and their absence at the event over the past few years has been noticeable.

They played several legendary matches against one another, and after one encounter in 2012, Federer revealed how he really felt about playing Nadal.

Roger Federer felt that Rafael Nadal always played his best tennis against him after losing at the 2012 Australian Open

As the number two, and number three seeds, Nadal and Federer advanced to the last four of the 2012 Australian Open, with ambitions of bringing home the title.

The pair failed to reach the final in 2011, as Nadal lost to his compatriot David Ferrer in the quarter-finals and Federer lost to Djokovic in the semi-finals.

Determined to go one better this time around the Swiss star started strongly, as he grabbed the first set in a tiebreaker.

The momentum soon switched, however, as the Spaniard took control, winning the match 6-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4, to book his place in the final against Djokovic.

Federer was complimentary towards his ATP rival but frustrated after the match, as he believed that Nadal always raised his level when they played each other.

“I always think he plays a bit better against me than against other players, but that’s good for him,” he said.

“I don’t know if it’s true, it’s my assumption.

“I feel he plays really good against me.”

The now 20-time Slam champion went on to explain why he thought Nadal was able to raise his level against him.

“He’s played me that many times on clay, so maybe he always draws something out of those matches,” said Federer.

“He’s also got a winning record against me which maybe gives him extra confidence, I don’t know, yeah, I think he has a clear plan and he follows that one very well.

“Like I said, I think he just plays good, you know, and he’s obviously improved a lot on all surfaces over the years, he’s a very good player, obviously.”

Reporters told Nadal what Federer had said, and gave him the opportunity to respond.

“I play my best tennis against him when I am ready to play my best tennis, I don’t play my best tennis because it’s Roger [Federer] in front,” he said.

“Normally when I play against Roger it’s because I am playing my best tennis because I always was in finals or was in very important matches, and having good confidence because I have won a lot of matches before.

“It’s true I played a lot of good matches against him during my career, so it is something fantastic, but I believe that he played a few fantastic matches against me too during his career, during our rivalry, no?”

Federer and Nadal may have been rivals, but it was a rivalry played in good spirits, something that both made a point of reiterating after the match.

“I enjoy playing him, the crowd really gets into it, which is nice,” said Federer.

“We have a lot of respect for each other, which is good, too, I think.

“I hope it inspires future generations or other players, you know, being nice to each other on the court and all that stuff.”

Nadal agreed as he was thankful for the rivalry he had forged with Federer.

“I enjoy playing against him, it’s always a special feeling because our matches always have been special, and especially today after a lot of ones, a lot of important moments for our careers,” he said.

“Our relationship always has been in a very positive way, so for all of these facts our matches are special, no?

“I think hopefully we will repeat soon.”

How many times did Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal play each other at the Australian Open?

Nadal may have got the better of Federer when they faced off on Rod Laver Arena back in 2012, but how many times did they play each other in Australia, and who got the better of those encounters?

2009 Australian Open final – Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2
2012 Australian Open semi-final – Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer 6-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4
2014 Australian Open semi-final – Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer 7-6, 6-3, 6-3
2017 Australian Open final – Roger Federer beats Rafael Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

The Spaniard led the head-to-head 3-1, only losing their final encounter back in 2017.

Federer battled through in five sets to get the better of Nadal in Melbourne for the first time as he claimed his fifth Australian Open title.

The match reminded many of Nadal’s win over Federer in 2009, a contest that many consider to be one of the greatest of all time.

It remains to be seen if any matches at the 2025 Australian Open can live up to the standard set by Nadal and Federer, but there isn’t long to wait now, as the competition gets underway on January 12.

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AI falsely outs Rafael Nadal as gay. Will this be first of many fake ‘outings’ of athletes?

By Al Faqiih January 7, 2025

Did you hear that tennis star Rafael Nadal came out as gay?

It was news to me and I cover this stuff for a living, but some BBC News users late last month got an alert saying that Nadal had indeed declared he was gay.

The problem is that Nadal did NOT come out. It was the figment of the imagination of the oxymoronic “Apple Intelligence” feature on iPhones that generated an alert to the BBC News app.

“This false notification seemingly misinterpreted an article about Brazilian tennis player Joao Lucas Reis da Silva, who is gay,” Euronews reported.

Reis da Silva became the only current active out gay tennis player to come out as gay, when on Dec. 7 he shared an Instagram post celebrating the birthday of his boyfriend, actor and model Gui Sampaio Ricardo. The AI program somehow thought “Nadal” and “Reis da Silva” were the same person.

There are other possible reasons why AI got the idea that Nadal is gay. There was a 2017 play that had the tennis legend married to a man. And the time Nadal played strip tennis against male models. And maybe it was Outsports once wondering if Nadal’s glute muscles were just too big.

Whatever the reason, AI got it wrong. Again.

This was not the only recent hallucination the Apple Intelligence feature had regarding sports.

An “AI-generated alert about Luke Littler incorrectly declared him the [world darts] champion before the final match against Michael van Gerwen had even taken place,” Euronews said. “This misleading summary was based on a BBC article covering Littler’s semifinal victory. The false notification was sent to BBC News app users, caused widespread confusion as the final was yet to start.”

The BBC was pissed, in its understated way, saying in a statement: “It is essential that Apple fixes this problem urgently — as this has happened multiple times. As the most trusted news media organization in the world, it is crucial that audiences can trust any information or journalism published in our name and that includes notifications.”

As more and more news organizations use AI to generate alerts or news summaries, this problem will almost certainly continue.

I wonder how many more well-known athletes will falsely be reported as coming out as gay. It’s easy to see it happening, given how wrong AI can often be. It’s interesting that the BBC said errors have happened “multiple times,” which begs the question of why the service is even being used in the first place.

After regularly getting wrong answers to simple queries that now populate the top of most Google searches via its AI bot, I have learned to be skeptical about anything it says. Instead, I seek out legitimate news sources. That includes Outsports, which would have been all over any news that someone like Nadal had come out.

Subscribe to the Outsports newsletter to keep up with your favorite out athletes, inspiring LGBTQ sports stories, and more.

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