4 best moments from 2023 Australian Open's Tennis Plays for Peace charity event ft. Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe

Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff, and Frances Tiafoe participated in the Tennis Plays for Peace charity event organized by the Australian Open on January 11, 2023, in support of Ukraine during the ongoing war.

The star-studded lineup for the exhibition matches also included Andy Murray, Alexander Zverev, Maria Sakkari, Grigor Dimitrov, Alex de Minaur, and Ukrainian tennis players Marta Kostyuk and Dayana Yastremska.

The noble cause, hosted by wheelchair tennis legend Dylan Alcott, saw a full house turn up at the Rod Laver Arena. The spectators witnessed some thrilling moments and great chemistry between the players.

Here's a look at four of the best moments from the Tennis Plays for Peace charity event.

#1 Rafael Nadal teams up with Marta Kostyuk and Maria Sakkari

Rafael Nadal teamed up with Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk and Greece’s Maria Sakkari to represent the blue team against Alex de Minaur, Grigor Dimitrov, and Dayana Yastremska of the Yellow team.

The players took turns representing their respective teams in a doubles setting, and Rafael Nadal provided exceptional entertainment.

In the first game itself, the players went all out and produced an incredible rally. Marta Kostyuk unfurled a successful tweener and Nadal ended the rally with a trick shot against de Minaur.

At one point during the game, the 22-time Grand Slam champion cleverly played an underarm serve, which proved to be the smart choice as Dayana Yastremska was unable to return it inside the court.

#2 The players meet two of the oldest tennis players in the world, Leonid Stanislavskyi and Henry Young

The players also met Ukraine's Leonid Stanislavskyi (98), a Guinness World record holder for being the world's oldest tennis player, and Australia's Henry Young (99).

Rafael Nadal was seen interacting with the duo and he also clicked a picture with them.

Frances Tiafoe and Alexander Zverev, meanwhile, were seen enjoying their time together as they hit the court with the inspiring pair.

#3 Coco Gauff produces an outstanding around-the-net winner

Coco Gauff, Andy Murray, Frances Tiafoe, and Alexander Zverev later entered the scene to join Marta Kostyuk and Dayana Yastremska in a game of tennis dingles.

Playing for the blue team, 18-year-old Gauff partnered with Murray against Zverev and Tiafoe and produced a remarkable around-the-net winner in the first game.

#4 Frances Tiafoe and Coco Gauff challenge each other

Compatriots Frances Tiafoe and Coco Gauff came out all guns blazing. The Americans engaged in playful banter and were especially determined to win one particular rally.

Eventually the teenager got the better of Tiafoe, to force three break points on the blue team.

About the author

Pranjali is a tennis journalist and content specialist at Sportskeeda, having been with the company for almost two years. With a Master's degree, she proudly embraces her inner "data nerd" and uses her expertise to analyze the stats that make tennis more exciting.

She keeps a tab on the players' press conferences and interviews to ensure she is up to date with the latest in the world of tennis. Pranjali has garnered over 10 million reads across her 1500+ articles and is the author of Sportskeeda's most-read tennis article to date.

While her childhood idol is Rafael Nadal, Pranjali acknowledges Novak Djokovic's supremacy as the GOAT when it comes to numbers and admires Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff for their diverse playing styles. When she is not deep in the tennis world, Pranjali unwinds with dancing, painting, and fashion, and also likes solving puzzles, quizzes, and complex math problems to keep her mind sharp.

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