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Rafael Nadal became the first tennis player ever to reach 21 million followers on Instagram. Meanwhile, Paula Badosa professed her love for Aryna Sabalenka.
David Ferrer voiced his support for Carlos Alcaraz amid the Spaniard's consecutive tournament setbacks. Meanwhile, Indian Bollywood star Deepika Padukone reacted to the sight of Roger Federer enjoying a Tuk-Tuk ride with his parents in Thailand.
On that note, here's a quick recap of the day's biggest headlines:
Paula Badosa professes her love for Aryna Sabalenka
Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka have undoubtedly become one of tennis' most beloved duos. Their unwavering support and cheering for each other speaks a lot about the depth of their bond.
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Their friendship continues to make headlines and once again, it was evident on Sunday (February 25) when Sabalenka hosted a Q&A session on her Instagram account and received a heartwarming message from Badosa.
"You look unbelievable, love you," the Spaniard wrote.
The Belarusian responded by writing:
"Love you too @paulabadosa."
Rafael Nadal becomes first tennis player ever to hit 21 million Instagram followers
Rafael Nadal is set to make a comeback at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Before his campaign at the first leg of the Sunshine Double could start, the Spaniard made history by becoming the first tennis player ever to reach 21 million followers on Instagram.
Nadal has now surpassed the follower counts of his colleagues, including Serena Williams (17.2 million), Novak Djokovic (14.4 million), Sania Mirza (13 million) and Roger Federer (12.1 million).
David Ferrer backs Carlos Alcaraz amid Spaniard's back-to-back tournament setbacks
Spain's Davis Cup captain David Ferrer has rallied behind Carlos Alcaraz amid the Spaniard's recent string of tournament setbacks, which began after his loss to Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Cincinnati Masters.
Since Cincinnati, Alcaraz has struggled to reach the finals of any tournament. The World No. 2 kicked off 2024 with a quarterfinal exit at the Australian Open. An unsuccessful attempt at defending his title at the Argentina Open and an opening-round exit in Rio were next in line.
Ferrer has now stepped up to defend his compatriot Alcaraz and likened him to Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, saying that even these tennis legends didn't win everything when they were 20 years old.
"He is No. 2 in the world, but you cannot demand that a 20-year-old tennis player always win," Ferrer said in a press conference in Rio (via Eurosport).
"He is a special player, of the caliber of Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, or Novak Djokovic. But he still has a lot of time and you can't ask him to win everything. I don't remember Rafa, Djokovic winning everything at that age," he added.
Deepika Padukone reacts to Roger Federer's Tuk-Tuk ride with his parents
Roger Federer is currently having a great time in Thailand, as evidenced by a video he shared on Instagram on Sunday (February 25). In the video, Federer, along with his mother Lynette and father Robert, can be seen enjoying a Tuk-Tuk ride.
Indian superstar actress Deepika Padukone, whose father Prakash was also a tennis player, left some words for Federer's father in the comment section of his post, saying:
"My Favourite Uncle Robert!"
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
