F1 champion Nico Rosberg welcomes Rafael Nadal to all-electric E1 raceboat series

F1 champion Nico Rosberg has rolled out the red carpet to tennis legend Rafael Nadal as the 22-time Grand Slam winner joins the 'zero emission electric racing' E1 boat series as a team owner.

As mentioned on their website, E1 is "the first electric raceboat championship sanctioned by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), the world governing body of powerboating." The series co-founders Alejandro Agag and Rodi Basso aim to "decarbonise future leisure boats".

Nadal owns a luxury yacht and his love for boats is well known. His team will be one of ten in the eight-race inaugural E1 world series. Responding to a tweet from E1 introducing Nadal as a team owner in the brand-new series, 2016 F1 world champion Rosberg said:

"Fantastic to welcome one of the greatest sports legends in zero emission electric racing."

In the said video, Nadal said:

"I am super excited to join E1 as a team owner. I love boats. I love competitions. I am a competitor. I know it's going to be a worldwide competition."

He continued:

"I love the oceans. I know it's going to be a problem to restore marine ecosystems. To be part of something that important makes me so happy. I can't wait for my team to join the first World E1 Championship. Vamos!"

Sanctioned by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), the world governing body of powerboating, E1 is the first electric raceboat championship. It wishes to establish "a new, competitive on-water racing proposition based on clean technologies to protect our waters and coastal areas."

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"I'm happy to be back in Melbourne" - Rafael Nadal ahead of 2023 Australian Open

Rafael Nadal will look to defend his title at the Australian Open next week.

Rafael Nadal is currently in Melbourne as he looks to defend his Australian Open title. The first Grand Slam of the year gets underway at Melbourne Park on January 16, with the Spaniard being the top seed.

The World No. 2 has made an underwhelming 0-2 start to the season, losing both his singles matches in the inaugural United Cup in Sydney. This marked the first time in his illustrious career he started a season with consecutive defeats.

Nevertheless, the 36-year-old is pleased with his preparations for the Australian Open as he seeks wins under his belt to boost his confidence, noting:

"I lost two encounters in Sydney, but I'm not disappointed with my preparation. I have to win matches to gain confidence, but the preparation is going well. I have practiced a lot, and I'm in good shape. I have to demonstrate that in the official matches, and I'm ready after a week of productive practice runs. I'm happy to be back in Melbourne. I had an unforgettable run here last year."

The former World No. 1 beat Daniil Medvedev from two sets and a break down in last year's final to become the first male player to win 21 Grand Slam singles titles.