Rafael Nadal shown class when competing against a self-proclaimed super fan.
Rafael Nadal made a heartwarming gesture to the son of 11-time Grand Slam winner Bjorn Borg during their match at the Nordea Open earlier this year.
Leo Borg recently stated that Nadal was the reason he first took up a tennis racket, despite the fact that his father is widely regarded as one of the sport’s best players.
Borg’s enthusiasm for the Spanish star was so strong that he described playing Nadal in a competitive match in Sweden this summer as a dream come true.
Nadal was just getting back into shape for the Paris Olympics when he was matched against the 21-year-old from Sweden.
In reality, it was a non-event, with Nadal defeating Borg Jnr. in straight sets, but it didn’t stop any niceties from taking place after the match.
Accepting Borg’s accolade, Nadal responded, stating, “Great feelings. For me, it has been a huge honor to play against the son of one of the biggest legends in the history of our sport. I think he played quite well, he has a future ahead of him, so I wish him all the best.”
Given how much Borg admired the Majorca-born ace, this statement would have made him very happy.
After Nadal’s recent retirement, Borg told Swedish publication Rekatochklart, “He has always been my biggest inspiration. He’s probably the reason I started playing tennis in the first place. He holds a very special place in my heart.
“I’ve been watching all of his matches since I can remember. I am familiar with practically all of his results. Meeting him before he decided to quit was a significant deal for me. It was one of my biggest goals, and I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.
Leo’s words are unlikely to cause any difficulties at the next family gathering, considering Bjorn’s high regard for Nadal.
When asked if he felt resentful when Nadal shattered his French Open Slam record, Borg Snr. responded, “No, not at all. Many people predicted that no one would beat my record. I answered, ‘Records are there to be broken.’ This is an important feature in sports.
“And then Rafa comes in and wins 14 times. You will never see another player who is as good on clay.
“The first time I met Nadal was in Bastad nearly 20 years ago. Even so, many people predicted that he would be a great champion. I did, too. It was the first time I had seen him play tennis. I just got in contact with him later.”
