[In pictures] Ayhika Mukherjee and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran meet tennis legend Rafael Nadal at Paris Olympics 2024 village

In what is bound to give them a major boost in morale ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, members of the Indian table-tennis contingent Ayhika Mukherjee and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran met tennis legend Rafael Nadal in the village.

In photos posted by the duo on the social media platform Instagram on Tuesday, July 23, they were seen clicking selfies with the Spanish tennis star. Nadal is also in the village as he prepares to pick up his third gold medal in the Summer Games.

Both Mukherjee and Gnanasekaran were seen grinning from ear to ear as they managed to pick up a snapshot with Nadal, and wrote effusively about the experience on their social media posts.

"An absolute legend on and off the field 🎾. Honoured to meet @rafaelnadal at the Athletes’ Village. Always in awe of the Olympic Games that continues to bring the world together❣️(sic)," wrote Mukherjee in her post.

"Starstruck at the Olympic Games Village😍 📸 with the most humble and inspiring RAFAEL NADAL 😁," wrote Sathiyan.

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Rafael Nadal chasing his third gold medal in the Olympics

Meanwhile, Nadal will be heading to the Paris Olympics chasing his third gold medal in the Summer Games, but if his recent form is anything to go by, one might as well say that he is not the favourite to do so.

He was beaten by Nuno Borges in the final of the Bastad Open on Sunday, July 21, which was his first since he won his fourteenth French Open in 2022.

This was also the first tournament the 38-year-old Spanish star was playing in after an early exit in Roland Garros in May.

“The level was so far from what it should be. Probably the energy too. It has been a long week with long matches,” Nadal had said after the final.

“Even if my body, I don’t have damage, that’s important - but mentally and physically, I am not used to playing four days in a row and playing long matches,” he added.