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Rafael Nadal's interaction with Casper Ruud regarding a memorable moment from the 2023 Ryder Cup, which involved Norwegian golfer Viktor Hovland, has amused several tennis fans.
The Ryder Cup commenced on Friday, September 29, with Team Europe taking an early lead against Team USA. Since then, the European team has consistently outperformed their opponents at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy, concluding Day 2 with an impressive five-point advantage.
Viktor Hovland kicked off Day 3 with a remarkable performance, securing a crucial win for Team Europe by defeating American golfer Colin Morikawa in the singles match 4&3. The victory marked a turning point for the European team.
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Rafael Nadal, who is also a passionate golfer and golf enthusiast, recently took to social media to share a video of Viktor Hovland's exceptional performance at the Ryder Cup. In his post, the Spaniard tagged Casper Ruud and inquired if the Norwegian tennis star was "enjoying" witnessing his compatriot's game.
"@casperruud ... enjoying? 😉 @vikto_hovland," the Spaniard captioned his Instagram story.
Ruud re-shared the former World No. 1's post on his social media and wrote:
"Let's gooo @viktor_hovland."
Fans were thoroughly entertained by the delightful interaction between the tennis stars, prompting them to turn to social media to express their joy.
One fan even humorously remarked that they loved seeing Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud engaging in a heartwarming moment akin to a "father-son bonding moment" over their shared love for golf.
"Aww they are having a father-son bonding over sports moment," a fan posted.
Another fan stated that they were convinced that the Spaniard exclusively engages in conversations with just three players from the ATP Tour - Roger Federer, Carlos Alcaraz, and Ruud.
"I'm convinced rafa only talks to three atp players these days: rogi, carlitos, and caspapi, the way all three probably get spammed by a bored capybara," the fan posted.
Here are a few more fan reactions:
"Rafael Nadal has a lot of strange routines, even in golf" - Casper Ruud
Casper Ruud had previously stated that Rafael Nadal's peculiar routines extended beyond his serves on the tennis court. Prior to the 2023 Wimbledon tournament, Ruud and Taylor Fritz enjoyed a day on the golf course with British golfer Luke Donald.
The tennis stars received golf lessons from former World No. 1 Donald at the Marco Simone Golf course in Rome, Italy. During the conversation, Ruud reminisced about the time when he played golf with Nadal. The Norwegian playfully criticized the 22-time Grand Slam champion's swing, describing it as "awful".
"I played with Rafa twice and he shot under par both of them. If he watches this, I'm just going to take sh*t from him because his swing is awful, it looks so bad but he makes it work somehow," he said.
Ruud further stated that the Spaniard exhibits peculiar mannerisms during his golf game, reminiscent of his lengthy serve routines in tennis.
"He has a lot of strange routines, even in golf," Ruud said.
Rafael Nadal is presently recuperating from a hip injury and is expected to remain sidelined for the remainder of the 2023 season.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
