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“Love the claws” – Coco Gauff compliments her childhood best friend Jamilah Snells’ nail game

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Coco Gauff recently complimented her childhood best friend Jamilah Snells on her fierce nail game.

Snells and Gauff have been friends since childhood; they met at a tennis academy in Florida at the age of nine and seven, respectively. The former is currently a sophomore at the University of Louisville, where she plays for the women’s tennis team while majoring in Business Management.

Snells posted a couple of pictures on her Instagram account on Thursday, February 1. The first picture shows her leaning for a shot, wearing a white tank top, black shorts, and an orange headband. The second picture is a close-up of her hand reaching for a tennis ball in mid-air, showcasing her long, sharp nails with bright red nail polish.

“🤍❤️🖤” , the post was captioned.

Gauff was quick to comment on the University of Louisville athlete’s post, writing:

“love the claws

Coco Gauff on Instagram

A look at Coco Gauff’s performance at the 2024 Australian Open

Coco Gauff recorded her best performance in Melbourne this year, reaching the semifinals of the 2024 Australian Open.

Gauff started her campaign with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Slovakia’s Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova in the first round. She then faced fellow American Caroline Dolehide, who pushed her to a tie-break in the first set before Gauff prevailed 7-6(2), 6-2.

In the third round, the 19-year-old met another compatriot, Alycia Parks, who had upset 32nd seed Leylah Fernandez in the previous round. Gauff defeated her in just over an hour, dropping only two games in a 6-0, 6-2 rout.

In the fourth round Gauff faced Poland’s Magdalena Frech, who had eliminated Anastasia Zakharova in a three-set thriller in her previous round. The American eventually won 6-1, 6-2 in just 63 minutes.

In the quarterfinals, Gauff met Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, who had reached the last eight of a Grand Slam for the first time. Kostyuk pushed Gauff to a thrilling three-setter that lasted three hours and eight minutes, eventually losing 7-6(6), 6-7(3), 6-2.

The 2023 US Open champion’s run came to an end in the semifinals, where she faced defending champion and second seed Aryna Sabalenka. The Belarusian, who had not dropped a set in the tournament, proved to be too powerful for Gauff, winning 7-6(2), 6-4 in an hour and 42 minutes.

Aryna Sabalenka went on to win her second consecutive Australian Open title, defeating China’s Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2 in the final.

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Novak Djokovic ‘refused to go to doctor’ as long-term illness derailed Aus Open campaign

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Novak Djokovic suffered an uncharacteristic defeat to Jannik Sinner in the semi-final of the Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic suffered a shock defeat to Jannik Sinner in the semi-final of the Australian Open last week – his first loss in Melbourne since 2018. The world No. 1 looked a shadow of his usual self as he went out 6-1 6-2 6-7(6) 6-3 and failed to have a single break point opportunity throughout the match. And it has now emerged that Djokovic was unwell with a fever the night before the match, also “refusing” to go to the doctor.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic was reportedly suffering with a fever the night before his semi-final loss

Djokovic’s dominant run in Melbourne came to an end as Sinner snapped his six-year, 33-match win streak at the Australian Open. Previously, the 36-year-old had always gone on to win the title when he reached the semis. But the world No. 4 sent him packing and went on to lift the trophy himself.

It was an uncharacteristic performance from Djokovic – especially in the first two sets, where he won just three total games. For the first time in a Grand Slam match, he had zero break point chances throughout the three-hour and 22-minute contest. Djokovic later branded it “one of the worst Grand Slam matches” he’d ever played.

But it appears that there was more to Djokovic’s defeat than just a bad day at the office, as Serbian reporter Luka Nikolic revealed that the 24-time Grand Slam champion had been struggling with the flu. “He got a fever the night before the semi-finals,” Nikolic said on the Reketiranje podcast.

2024 Australian Open - Day 13
Jannik Sinner ended Novak Djokovic’s six-year, 33-match winning streak at the Australian Open

“Something similar to what [Alexander] Zverev had. He was sick for three weeks, but some virus caught him again.” The Serbian journalist also explained that Djokovic “refused” a visit to the doctor so the media wouldn’t find out about his illness.

He added: “Some colds get worse… It can’t play well with temperature. He didn’t want to go to the doctor so that the journalists wouldn’t break it and make a fuss about it. That’s why he played so badly in the first two sets, it was obvious that he was weak and that he couldn’t do it.”

In the early rounds of the tournament, Djokovic was seen blowing his nose on the court and confirmed that he had been suffering from sickness in the lead-up to the Australian Open. Speaking after his tight first-round win over Dino Pizmic, the 36-year-old said: “Yeah, I am a bit under the weather last, yeah, four, five days.

TENNIS-AUS-OPEN
Novak Djokovic was struggling with an illness at the start of the tournament

“You can probably judge by my voice. Look, it is what it is. You just have to try to deal with it and get over it and accept the circumstances and try to make the most of it.” And he doubled down after being pushed to four sets against Alexei Popyrin in the second round.

“Look, I haven’t been playing or feeling at my best the last, whatever, week or so. Yeah, it’s frustrating at times with kind of the level of tennis that I’m playing on the court and some uncharacteristic mistakes that I make. At the same time, that’s sport,” Djokovic confessed.

But Djokovic didn’t bring up the illness after losing to Sinner. “I want to congratulate Sinner for playing a great match, great tournament so far. He’s deservedly in the finals. He outplayed me completely today,” he said after the worrying defeat, admitting that he was “shocked with my level in a bad way” and hadn’t “really played close to my best” throughout the tournament.

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Coco Gauff punishes opponent after husband wears cringe cap taunting American

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Marta Kostyuk’s husband came under fire for wearing a cap that made reference to Coco Gauff.

Coco Gauff had the last laugh when her opponent’s husband came to their match wearing a cap that made fun of the American. The world No. 4 survived a marathon match against Marta Kostyuk, coming back from 1-5 down in the opening set to win 7-6(8) 6-7(3) 6-2

Marta Kostyuk's husband wore a cap that said 'shake your cocos' to her match against Coco Gauff

Gauff reached her maiden Australian Open semi-final on Tuesday, needing three hours and eight minutes to see off Kostyuk. The 19-year-old is still yet to lose a match this season, as she started the year by defending her title in Auckland and now finds herself in the last eight in Melbourne.

Kostyuk was competing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final and her husband came prepared for the occasion, making reference to the Ukrainian’s opponent. Watching on from his wife’s box, Heorhii donned a cap that said ‘shake your cocos’.

Fans slammed his cringe attire while Gauff let her tennis do the talking, stealing the first set from Kostyuk. The world No. 37 raced into a 5-1 lead but the teenager stormed back, winning the next five games in a row. The set went to a tiebreak where Gauff took it 10-8.

Coco Gauff stormed back from a 1-5 deficit in the first set and defeated Marta Kostyuk
Coco Gauff stormed back from a 1-5 deficit in the first set and defeated Marta Kostyuk

They traded more breaks in the second set but Kostyuk came out on top, winning the tiebreak 7-3. Gauff went into another gear in the final set, leading 5-0 with the chance to serve for the bagel. But the 21-year-old got one final break of serve before Gauff closed it out at the second opportunity.

Heorhii’s hat still didn’t go down well on social media, as one Reddit user wrote: “I was cringing at this.” Another replied: “And at the fact that it’s her husband. She would have probably known in advance that he was going to wear that, and if she did it’s even more cringe.”

Fans also didn’t find it funny, with a third user writing: “Yikes, this is so… dumb. How stupid do you have to be to think this is funny, or in any way a good idea?” And it appeared that Gauff herself caught wind of the cap, as she posted a video from the match onto her Instagram story and wrote: “shakey shake” with a heart and a laughing emoji.

2024 Australian Open - Day 10
Marta Kostyuk said Coco Gauff was one of the best players in the world after their match

While some thought her husband was disrespectful, Kostyuk herself claimed that Gauff was one of the world’s best players after the close contest. The world No. 37 said she won for herself despite coming out on the losing end of the match and later elaborated. “Yeah, for me, it’s a win because I managed to, you know, I was playing one of the best girls in the world,” she explained.

“Managed to be still very close. You know, it feels far but also very close. This whole tournament I think is a big win for me. Just looking forward.” While Kostyuk will try to carry her Australian Open form into the rest of the season, Gauff will now focus on facing either Aryna Sabalenka or Barbora Krejcikova in the semi-final. If she plays Sabalenka, it will be a rematch of the recent US Open final.

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Rafael Nadal urged to retire immediately with French Open king told his reign is over

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Rafael Nadal suffered yet another injury setback just before the start of the Australian Open.

Rafael Nadal has been urged to call time on his career by Express Sport readers after his latest injury setback ruled him out of the Australian Open. The Spaniard made a brief return to the court at the Brisbane International earlier this month but suffered a small muscle tear against Jordan Thompson in the quarter-finals.

Rafael Nadal has been urged to retire now and steer clear of making another comeback
Rafael Nadal has been urged to retire now and steer clear of making another comeback

Nadal has barely played over the last 12 months and is expected to retire at the end of this year, with his constant injury problems threatening to derail his farewell campaign. It seems that many fans would not be too upset to see Nadal go now, rather than delaying his retirement for another few months in light of his fitness issues.

In our latest tennis poll, 57 per cent of voters said that Nadal should hang up his racket immediately and steer clear of making another comeback when his latest injury heals. He will be hoping to recover in time for the French Open, where he has won the majority of his Grand Slam titles, but there is no guarantee that he will be in a position to compete for the top prize.

Sixty seven per cent of voters said they do not expect Nadal to win this year’s French Open title, with just 33 per cent of Express Sport readers backing him to get the job done at Roland Garros. Novak Djokovic will almost certainly be the favourite even if Nadal manages to recover in time, with the Serb having looked almost unstoppable in the absence of his Spanish rival.

The Spaniard will be hoping to recover in time to feature at this year's French Open
The Spaniard will be hoping to recover in time to feature at this year’s French Open

In terms of Nadal’s performance in Brisbane, 42 per cent of voters were pleasantly surprised and said that he was better than they were expecting him to be. Another 48 per cent of respondents said that Nadal met expectations but did not exceed them, while just 10 per cent thought that he did worse than anticipated.

It remains to be seen how Nadal will fare this year, with the 37-year-old needing to recover from his latest injury setback before worrying about anything else. Alex Corretja recently told Express Sport that he is expecting Nadal to get back on the court as soon as possible, given the extra motivation of playing at the French Open for what could be the final time.

The Spaniard has had more than his fair share of injury problems over the years
The Spaniard has had more than his fair share of injury problems over the years

“It’s obvious that on hard courts for the joints it’s a little bit risky because it’s a little bit harder,” said Corretja. “But as soon as he is ready to practice, we will see him. He will say again: ‘Okay, I’m getting back to practice’, and he will put a small goal to go.

“If he’s ready, maybe he’s ready to go to some of the South American tournaments on clay like Buenos Aires or so. But for that, he needs to be healthy. If he’s healthy, he would like to be on court as soon as possible. I don’t think he’s going to wait for the clay-court season because he’s been out for such a long time. I don’t think he can wait in his academy just practicing.”

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Rafael Nadal was not afraid to stand up to Roger Federer despite pair’s friendship

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Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal caught up at the Spanish star’s tennis academy recently, but while the two are now great friends, they were also fierce rivals.

Rafael Nadal once had a heated exchange with his biggest rival, Roger Federer, over the packed tennis calendar. This happened at the Australian Open in 2012, despite their long-standing friendship formed through years of on-court battles.

While both dominated men’s singles for nearly two decades alongside Novak Djokovoic, their luck at the Australian Open has been quite different. Before his 2022 victory, Nadal had only won the tournament once in 2009, while Federer clinched the title six times between 2004 and 2018.

Nadal’s frustrations seemed to peak in 2012 when he voiced concerns about the number of games players are expected to play on the ATP Tour, which he believed was affecting their fitness levels. He was particularly annoyed at Federer for not supporting him on this issue, which led to a fiery outburst from Nadal after Federer refused to comment on the matter during a pre-tournament press conference that year.

Clearly upset, he aimed his anger at his long-time rival, criticizing Federer for his perceived indifference. Nadal said: “For him it’s good to say nothing. Everything positive. ‘It’s all well and good for me, I look like a gentleman,’ and the rest can burn themselves.

2024 Australian Open - Day 8
Novak Djokovic leads the way in men’s Grand Slam titles with 24

“Everyone is entitled to have their own opinions,” he continued, standing firm on his stance. “I love the game and there are a lot of things I’m grateful for. The game has allowed me to lead a fantastic lifestyle. But to finish your career with pain all over your body, is that a positive?”

Answering his own question, Nadal expressed concern for his future health: “No. Maybe [Federer] has got a super body and he’ll finish his career like a rose. Neither myself, nor [Andy] Murray, nor [Novak] Djokovic are going to finish our careers like a rose.

Highlighting the differences between himself, Murray and Djokovic compared to Federer, he took one last swipe at his rival for his lack of support on the issue: “We’re not like him [Federer] where it’s effortless to play. For all of us, it’s a battle.”

As their careers blossomed, it became clear that the initial dispute between the tennis legends was short-lived. They even partnered in the Laver Cup for Federer’s last professional match in 2022 and more recently, Federer was a visitor to Nadal’s academy in Spain.

The once-rival duo who clashed 40 times in thrilling battles atop the men’s game ended their rivalry on a united note.

Speaking about their friendship evolution, Nadal said: “We have never had any big issues and always respected each other and our families too. But our personal relationship has got better and better over the years, and we approach life in a similar way.”

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Brave Emma Raducanu crashes out of Australian Open after having BLOOD PRESSURE taken on court during medical issue

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EMMA RADUCANU was knocked out of the Australian Open by China’s Yafan Wang after bravely battling breathing issues that saw her have her blood pressure taken on court.

The 2021 US Open champion, 21, recovered from a slow start to force the match into a third-set decider – but ended up losing 6-4 4-6 6-4.

Emma Raducanu remains 'very positive' after 'throwing up in mouth' during Australian Open loss

A grueling nine-minute game at the beginning of the final set led to the Brit having a medical timeout.

Her blood pressure was taken by doctors as she wrapped a towel around her while sitting in her seat.

But after the required precautions were completed, Raducanu headed back out on to the court.

She bravely went on to hold her serve and had chances to break back for 2-2, only for Wang to keep her nerve and take a 3-1 lead.

The Chinese player was then one game away from the third round as she led 5-3, but Raducanu showed huge heart to hold to love and keep the match alive.

However, World No94 Wang successfully served it out to clinch victory after a marathon match that ended just four minutes shy of the three-hour mark.

Emma Raducanu: I feel reborn – I'm no longer weighed down by my US Open win

It was World No 296 Raducanu’s first Grand Slam since last year’s Australian Open as she spent a lengthy period sidelined following surgery on both hands and her ankle.

She impressed in the first round with a 6-3 6-2 victory over American Shelby Rogers.

Raducanu’s breathing issues come after fellow Brit Jack Draper was seen throwing up immediately after his first-round, five-set win earlier this week.

After shaking hands with opponent Marcos Giron, the 22-year-old showed how much the Melbourne heat had impacted him as he crouched over and hurled into a bin.

Meanwhile, Raducanu’s recovery from three surgeries in 13 days included some bizarre methods such as dunking her hands in a bucket of rice for 75 minutes.

Australian Open 2024 results: Emma Raducanu loses to Wang Yafan - BBC Sport

This is a form of therapy for healing hands and wrists and helps to improve grip and forearm strength.

Speaking to one of her sponsors, Porsche, she said: “I have such high standards of myself. You need massive amounts of dedication.

“If you have that, that’s where you’re going to really go above and beyond.

“The exercises I love are pretty much all in the gym. You hate them at the time but after you do them, you love them because you feel unbelievable after.

“At one stage I was doing a lot of rice exercises, like hand in a bucket of rice, moving it around, and it was killing me.

Emma Raducanu: Former US Open champion needs 'consistency' - not a 'super coach' | Tennis News | Sky Sports

“You’re just staring at the clock for the whole hour, like ‘get me out of here’. I don’t want to see rice again!

“I truly realise how much I really missed it [tennis]. How grateful I am to be on the court playing pain-free. It’s an amazing feeling. And I really think that I can achieve whatever I want to.”

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Coco Gauff shows off new serve during first round demolition at the Australian Open

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Coco Gauff showcased a devastating new serve as she sealed an impressive straight sets – 6-3 6-0 – victory against Anna Karolína Schmiedlová at the Australian Open on Monday.

The world No. 4 had traveled in the offseason to train with former tennis star Andy Roddick, who is widely considered one of the greatest servers in history.

TOPSHOT - USA's Coco Gauff serves against Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova during their women's singles match on day two of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 15, 2024. (Photo by David GRAY / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE -- (Photo by DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images)
Coco Gauff credits her new serve in part to former US tennis star Andy Roddick.

Gauff credits Roddick with helping her tweak her technique, which now involves starting her ball toss higher before serving.

It worked with devastating effect in the first round demolition of Schmiedlova, with Gauff recording 123 mph for her fastest serve. The 19-year-old also won 100% of points off her first serve in the second set.

“I don’t think I could have gotten anybody else better to help me,” Gauff told reporters after her win, speaking about Roddick’s influence.

“I think that my serve has improved. I think I just need to continue to trust it and trust all the work that I did in the offseason. I want to become a more aggressive server.”

MELBOURNE, VIC - JANUARY 15: Coco Gauff of the United States of America in action during Round 1 of the 2024 Australian Open on January 15 2024, at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jason Heidrich/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)
After a nervous start, Gauff asserted her dominance to win in straight sets

Gauff is playing at Melbourne Park off the back of winning her maiden grand slam title at the US Open last year.

The teenager, though, says she’s not feeling any different and just wants to enjoy the first major of the new season.

‘I feel good, I look good’
It took a while for the youngster to settle into the match inside the Rod Laver Arena but, after settling her nerves, she eventually found her rhythm.

The second set was a demolition, with Schmiedlová able to win just five points throughout the entire set.

“I just told myself, ‘I feel good, I look good, so just have fun,’” Gauff told reporters after the match.

“That was able to relax me a little bit. That’s why I play tennis, to have fun, so I remind myself.”

Coco Gauff starts Australian Open with sweep; Naomi Osaka plays well in loss - NBC Sports

She added: “I was able to just calm down and then play good, not my best, but good tennis from that point. I was just playing much deeper and much freer.”

Before this year’s Australian Open, Gauff said she was not content with just the one major title to her name, revealing she hoped to win at least 10 grand slams during her career.

The American is certainly one of the top contenders for the year’s title at Melbourne Park, but must first beat compatriot Caroline Dolehide in the second round on Wednesday.

Coco Gauff begins quest for back-to-back Grand Slam titles at Australian Open with 6-3 6-0 first-round victory over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova | Daily Mail Online

Elsewhere in the women’s draw, reigning Wimbledon champion Markéta Vondroušová suffered a shock first round defeat to Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska.

The qualifier beat Vondroušová, who has been struggling with an injury this year, in straight sets – 6-1 6-1 – in under an hour.

Fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina also breezed through to the second round after beating Australian wildcard Taylah Preston in straight sets – 6-2 6-2 – while Ons Jabeur beat Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva in her first match of 2024.

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Serena Williams cracks joke at Wimbledon hero Chris Eubanks’ expense after modelling shot

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Serena Williams cracks joke at Wimbledon hero Chris Eubanks’ expense after modelling shot

Serena Williams cracked a joke about Chris Eubanks after the 27-year-old landed a partnership deal with Swedish fashion brand J.Lindeberg. Eubanks, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year, has become the first male tennis player to link up with the company

After Eubanks took to Instagram to announce his partnership with J.Lindeberg, Williams replied by posting: “I knew your legs would land you a modelling gig one day.”

Eubanks clearly saw the funny side of the comment as he shared it to his story and added the caption: “I’m glad people are starting to see your vision @serenawilliams.”

Eubanks will be draped in J.Lindeberg tennis attire during his appearance at the Australian Open after previously working with Japanese sportswear company ASICS. And commenting about his new deal, the tennis ace explained: “It is extremely enticing to be one of the only faces of a particular brand.

“It allows for you to really see the growth of that brand and feel a sense of pride when you’re watching it grow, which is quite a unique opportunity. Not many players get the chance to be the face of a brand in the beginning and I am really excited about that opportunity.”

Eubanks overcame the likes of British ace Cam Norrie and Australian Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the last eight at Wimbledon last summer. But the American was finally dumped out of the tournament by Daniil Medvedev following a five-set thriller.

Chris Eubanks
Chris Eubanks reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon last year

And after his exit, Eubanks told the Today Show: “I think in the past 24 hours, or maybe 12 hours since I lost, it’s starting to settle in that I’m actually a Wimbledon quarter-finalist. It’s a dream come true. I showed up here playing really well in the tournament prior to Wimbledon and taking my first title, but still a bit uncertain on how I would fare here.

“The second round comes, I’m playing the number one Brit. I get past that and then things just kind of started to fall into place. It’s indescribable. I think enjoying it was the biggest thing. There’s times throughout the match where I’m smiling – I’m pretty expressive with my emotions – but at the end of the day it’s still just a tennis match.

“The court is the same size, the net is still the same height and it’s still the sport I’ve been playing since I was two years old. I’m at a stage now where I can enjoy those situations, even when my back’s against the wall, even when things aren’t going well, to just say, ‘hey, just stick with it. Things are going to work out.’”

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Stefanos Tsitsipas clash due to injury after Matteo Berrettini out of Australian Open

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The Italian has now missed four of the last eight grand slams after he withdrew citing a right foot injury.

Matteo Berrettini pulled out of the Australian Open without playing a match as his injury woes continued.

The former Wimbledon finalist had been due to face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round on Rod Laver Arena on Monday in one of the plum ties of the first round.

Stefanos Tsitsipas' history in the making: Can Greek tennis star become world number one?

But on Sunday afternoon the tournament announced he had withdrawn with a right foot injury, making it the fourth time in the last eight grand slam tournaments where he has not been able to play a match.

The popular Italian, a semi-finalist in Melbourne in 2022, has been off the tour since suffering an ankle injury during his second-round match against Arthur Rinderknech at the US Open.

He had previously missed the French Open because of an abdominal injury, while in 2022 he also sat out Roland Garros following hand surgery and then tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of Wimbledon.

Once ranked as high as world number six, the 27-year-old, beaten by Djokovic in the Wimbledon final in 2021, is now down at 125.

<p>Berrettini’s injury woes have continued </p>
Berrettini’s injury woes have continued

He has been replaced in the draw by Belgian lucky loser Zizou Bergs, who will take on Tsitsipas on Monday.

Fourth seed Jannik Sinner, one of the favourites for the title following his stellar end to 2023, began his campaign with a straight-sets win over Botic Van De Zandschulp.

Sinner, who beat Djokovic twice in a matter of days at the ATP Finals and Davis Cup in November, was a 6-4 7-5 6-3 winner on Rod Laver Arena.

The Italian did not play a warm-up tournament after his late finish to last season, and he said: “I feel like I started off actually really well for the first match.

ATP: Jim Courier on Stefanos Tsitsipas - "A year of maturity" · tennisnet.com

“Then after, I had some moments where I made a couple of wrong choices, but this can happen. Even if you made maybe some matches, this can happen. Maybe you are a little bit tired sometimes.

“It was important today for me because I was looking forward to stepping on the court.”

Former finalist Marin Cilic played his first grand slam match since the US Open in 2022 following knee surgery but was beaten in four sets by Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan.

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Like father, like son! A beaming Rafael Nadal gives his baby boy Rafa Junior a tennis racquet and dotes on the one-year-old in Australia

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Grand Slam legend Rafael Nadal has been pictured spending quality time with his father and baby son in a Brisbane park before flying back to Spain to get medical attention for the injury that ruined his comeback at the Australian Open.

Rafael Nadal was spotted in a Brisbane Park with his adorable son Rafael Junior (pictured together) and his father Sebastian
Rafael Nadal was spotted in a Brisbane Park with his adorable son Rafael Junior (pictured together) and his father Sebastian

Nadal, a 22-time grand slam winner, injured his hip during his loss to Aussie Jordan Thompson at the Brisbane International last week, forcing him to return home to Spain instead of attempting to win his third title at Melbourne Park.

The 37-year-old initially said he would fly to Melbourne and rest ahead of the Australian Open, but a scan revealed he had suffered a micro tear in the same hip that ruled him out of action for nearly a year.

The former world No.1 was spotted in heartwarming scenes with his father Sebastian and one-year-old son Rafael Junior just before the injury surfaced.

Rafael Junior, who was born in October 2022, amused himself with a tiny tennis racquet - at one stage appearing to hit his father with it
Rafael Junior, who was born in October 2022, amused himself with a tiny tennis racquet – at one stage appearing to hit his father with it

The trio soaked up the sun while Rafael Junior played with a tiny white tennis racquet.

Rafael Junior was born in October 2022 his father recently spoke about the impact his first child has had on his life and game after arriving in Sydney for the United Cup tournament.

‘The first event I play like a father without the baby with me, I lost first round. Second event, traveling with the baby, I was out of the group stage. At the end I won my last match, but I need to keep improving, no?’ he said.

The heartwarming scenes with three generations of Nadals - (from left to right) grandfather Sebastian, father Rafael and Rafael Junior - came just before the 22-time grand slam winner was forced out of the Australian Open because of injury
The heartwarming scenes with three generations of Nadals – (from left to right) grandfather Sebastian, father Rafael and Rafael Junior – came just before the 22-time grand slam winner was forced out of the Australian Open because of injury

‘We have some help. No problem at all. Just I need to organise little bit my life, as everybody needs to do when you have a child in your life.’

The latest injury setback to the tennis superstar has many fans fearing he won’t appear again at the Australian Open and Mats Wilander believes his latesy injury may even lead to the legend’s retirement.

‘It’s extremely sad news,’ Wilander said on Eurosport.

If these photos are anything to go by, Rafa Junior will play tennis right handed, unlike his southpaw father
If these photos are anything to go by, Rafa Junior will play tennis right handed, unlike his southpaw father

‘Obviously it’s the most sad news for himself, because I saw the first three matches that he played in Brisbane. He looked extremely good in the first match against Dominic Thiem.

‘He looked even better in the second round against Jason Kubler.

‘And then, having three match points in the third round against Jordan Thompson. He looked great.

Nadal has previously joked about how he and wife Maria had to reorganise their lives when their son came into the world
Nadal has previously joked about how he and wife Maria had to reorganise their lives when their son came into the world

He can miss those match points. We all have done that in our careers.

‘The older you get, maybe the more pressure you put on yourself but I think it’s a little bit of a wake-up call in one way.

‘We’ve been woken up all the time by rough injuries on others, but the injury that he has now, when you hear the description of it – micro, I mean the injuries he gets and has gotten are so different from other players.

‘You just realise that it’s not just his ankle and his knee and the big part of his muscle, it’s also the smaller muscles in his body.

‘Either he’s trained so hard over the years, or he tries so hard over the years that he breaks. And it’s so unusual.’

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