Nadal visits Next Gen stars Michelsen, Fonseca, Mensik in Jeddah
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal on Friday (December 20) visited American Alex Michelsen, Brazil’s Joao Fonseca, and Czech Jakub Mensik on the sidelines of the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Friday saw the wrap of the 20-under-20 tournament’s round-robin stage, with Fonseca and Michelsen qualifying for the semi-finals along with Learner Tien from the US and Luca Van Assche from France. For a berth in the final, the Brazilian will take on Van Assche and No 2 seed will battle Tien in an all-American final.
Meanwhile, recently-retired Nadal, who also happens to be a Saudi Tennis Federation ambassador, touched down in Jeddah. There, he took in the sights and signed some autographs.
The legend of tennis Rafael Nadal at the #NextGenATPFinals 🤩 pic.twitter.com/gzxzMnV224
— Ministry of Sport (@mosgovsa_en) December 20, 2024
The 22-time Grand Slam champion also sat down with Michelsen, Fonseca, and Mensik for a candid chat at the King Abdullah Sports City. The American and Brazilian were particularly intrigued by Nadal’s incredible feat of winning 11 titles on the ATP Tour in 2005 at the age of 19.
“Rafa is a legend,” Fonseca told the ATP Tour. “I’m a Roger [Federer] fan, but I also love Rafa. My coach is a Rafa fan. My phone unlock screen is Rafa with a sentence. It has been a pleasure to meet him. Eleven titles in a season is just insane. I will try to do the same.”
“I have had a poster in my room since he won his eighth French [Open],” said Michelsen. “So it is really cool and I am pleased I have the chance to talk to him. To win 11 titles at 19 is absolutely ridiculous. I almost got one but to get 11 is absolutely absurd! That is why he is one of the best players to ever walk onto a tennis court.”
Rafael Nadal meeting the NextGen stars in Jeddah.
Nadal. “How is everything?”
Mensik. “So far amazing. Now even better”. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/tOooKWmKos
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) December 20, 2024
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