'I wanted to play with him' - When Alejandro Tabilo lauded Rafael Nadal after losing

Alejandro Tabilo got emotional after his win over Novak Djokovic in the Italian Open.

Alejandro Tabilo, who became the talk of the town after he defeated hot favourite Novak Djokovic on Sunday, once revealed that he is a huge admirer of Rafael Nadal.

Recently, after Iga Swiatek defeated Aryna Sabalenka to win her maiden Madrid Open title, older quotes of the Polish tennis player, where she lauded Rafael Nadal, also resurfaced on the internet. During the tournament, Swiatek stated that she would also ask Nadal for his t-shirt, much like Pedro Cachin, if they ever faced each other.

Similarly, after Tabilo stunned Novak Djokovic to secure a spot in the fourth round of the 2024 Italian Open, his older comments about Rafael Nadal have also started getting the attention of fans. Alejandro Tabilo has always been a huge fan of the 22-time Grand Slam winner.

In November 2022, Rafael Nadal and Alejandro Tabilo played an exhibition match in Santiago, Chile’s capital. Tabilo lost the match 7-6 (6) 6-3; however, he lavished praise on the Spaniard afterwards.

Alejandro Tabilo said after the loss, “I always wanted to be like him, I grew up watching him play, I dressed like him, I won tournaments and I bit the trophy like him. Ever since I was a child, I wanted to play with him, follow in his footsteps.”

Also Read: ‘I want to continue’ – Rafael Nadal insists he will keep playing as long as his body allows him

However, Rafael Nadal is currently getting closer to retirement. The Spaniard got eliminated in the second round of the 2024 Italian Open against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz; moreover, his participation in the upcoming French Open is uncertain.

Meanwhile, Alejandro Tabilo will face Karen Khachanov in the round of 16 of the Italian Open on Tuesday, May 14. Karen Khachanov has defeated Francisco Cerundolo and Alexander Shevchenko in the initial rounds to secure a spot in the fourth round.

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