Paula Badosa fondly recalls meeting Rafael Nadal when she was a teenager, 9 years before playing together at United Cup

Former World No. 3 Paula Badosa fondly reminisced about her meeting with Rafael Nadal as a teenager, nine years before they teamed up at the 2023 United Cup.

Badosa has been away from the women's tour since her exit in the second round at Wimbledon in July. She was compelled to withdraw during the match due to an ongoing back injury.

The 25-year-old is currently prioritizing her recovery and won't be participating in any of the tournaments this year. While taking an extended break from tennis, she posted a picture timeline of her meetings with Rafael Nadal as a teenager, almost a decade before playing with the Spaniard at the 2023 United Cup.

"2004 --> 2023," Paula Badosa said while sharing the visual on her Instagram story

Paula Badosa shares a visual on her Instagram with Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal has served as a major source of inspiration for Badosa. She has highlighted in multiple interviews earlier, that the 22-time Grand Slam champion has been her idol since a very young age.

Reflecting on her initial encounter with the Spanish legend, Badosa shared how nervous she felt about approaching him for a conversation. In the end, it was the presence of others at the venue that came to her aid, as they approached Nadal and requested a photo with her.

"He was my idol from a very young age. The first time I came across him I got so nervous that I didn't dare ask him for a photo and they had to ask for it for me," Paula Badosa said

Badosa and Nadal joined forces with other Spaniards to compete for their nation at the 2023 United Cup. While Spain delivered solid performances in the group stage matches, they fell short of reaching the semifinals as Great Britain overpowered them in the penultimate showdown.

The 25-year-old shared her thoughts on the experience of playing with Nadal on the same court and secretly wished that the former World No. 1 wouldn't be watching from the sidelines during one of her matches.

“To play with Rafa watching is the toughest thing to do. At my match, I was praying for him not to come. It was 2-1 in 1st set & he appears. I was like ‘Don’t think that’s Rafa watching’ bc it’s very tough. Rafa is my idol since I was 5,” Paula Badosa said in an interview at the United Cup

"You want people like Rafael Nadal at Australian Open" - Craig Tiley looks forward to the Spaniard's comeback in Melbourne

2023 Australian Open - Day 3: Rafael Nadal

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has expressed his delight at the prospect of Rafael Nadal participating in the first Major of the season next year.

Nadal has been away from the men's tour since sustaining a hip injury during the 2022 Australian Open. He decided to take an extended break and prioritize recovery at his own pace.

While the timing of Nadal's return remained uncertain, Tiley announced on October 11 that the Spaniard has officially confirmed his comeback at the 2024 Australian Open.

"We can reveal exclusively that Rafa will be back. He's been off for most of the year, and in talking to him over the last few days he confirmed he will be back, which we're really excited about," Tiley told Nine's Today.

However, Nadal's team has denied Tiley's claims, stating that it is too early to give a confirmation.

"We don't know anything about his schedule yet. We have seen the reports and comments but as of today, we wouldn't be able to confirm. It's too early to say, even for Melbourne," Rafael Nadal's spokesperson stated (via Daily Mail).

Fans will be eager to see the former World No. 1 make a strong comeback and make a notable impact on tour. It'll be interesting to see, which tournament Nadal decides to do so.