Casper Ruud's sister Caroline shows off her adorable dog named after Rafael Nadal; gears up for pet's anticipated meeting with real 'Rafa' in Bastad 

Casper Ruud and Rafael Nadal have formed a formidable partnership at the Nordea Open in Bastad as the Spaniard returned to competitive tennis after a long hiatus due to injuries. While the duo has been on fire on the court, winning their doubles game 6-1, 6-4 against Guido Andreozzi and Miguel Reyes-Varela, their off-field banter and closeness have also provided entertainment to fans.

Being a Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy graduate, Casper Ruud has always looked up to the Spaniard.

Recently, Casper Ruud's sister Caroline Ruud, who named her Shih Tzu dog 'Rafa', posted a story on her Instagram, hoping that her pet would meet the 'real' Rafa soon and wrote,

"Rafa is ready for tomorrow's matches. I have to get a picture with Rafa and the real Rafa," she captioned the story (translated).

Caroline Ruud's Instagram Story Screenshot

In the post-match interview, Rafael Nadal was full of praise for Ruud and said,

“It’s a pleasure playing with a good friend and an amazing player like Casper here in Bastad. Personally, I am happy and I think it was a good match. We played quite well in the first time we played together and I’m happy to be back here after almost 20 years."

Rafael Nadal has been dealing with hip and abdominal issues for more than a year now, which was the primary reason for missing Wimbledon this season and not risking another injury.

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Casper Ruud and Rafael Nadal have playful banter after their Nordea Open victory in Bastad

Laver Cup 2022 - Day One

Casper Ruud and Rafael Nadal were full of appreciation for each other's dedication to the sport, showcasing their playful side after a straight-sets victory in Bastad. While their match was constantly marked with rain delays, Ruud saw the funny side of it and said,

"Like Rafa said, it was a good match. Coming to the rain delays I am used to it, more than Rafa I guess being from Norway and he is from Spain. He’s getting old. So I’m not sure how his body feels having to start & stop all the time," Casper Ruud said.

Rafael Nadal, known for his quick wit, replied

“I hope to see Norway in the next important tournaments.. ,” Nadal said.

Ruud also opened up about Nadal reaching out to play doubles with him and remarked that even though he doesn't usually play doubles, it was an easy decision for him to make. The duo will next face Theo Arribage and Roman Safiullin in the quarterfinals.