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Serena Williams' ex-coach Rick Macci expressed his belief that Rafael Nadal won't be a contender at the 2024 French Open, while Daniil Medvedev's wife Daria and daughter Alisa joined Grigor Dimitrov's former girlfriend and her little sister for lunch in Monaco.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic jokingly blamed Grigor Dimitrov for his son Stefan’s bracelet obsession. Nick Kyrgios shared his opinion that players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic likely never anticipated losing to him, considering he was never one to take the game seriously.
Also, Maria Sharapova shared a glimpse of her pre-birthday getaway in Spain.
On that note, here's a recap of today's top tennis news:
Daniil Medvedev's wife and daughter join Grigor Dimitrov's ex-girlfriend and sister for lunch
Daniil Medvedev's wife Daria and daughter Alisa had a lunch outing with Grigor Dimitrov's ex-girlfriend Lolita Osmanova and her younger sister in Monaco.
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Osmanova posted a photo of their meal with the stunning backdrop of the Riviera on social media, suggesting that although Alisa and her sister didn't interact in the video, they might become friends in the future.
"Possibly best friends in 15 years. But let's see," Osmanova posted on her Instagram story.
Grigor Dimitrov and Daniil Medvedev both concluded their Monte-Carlo Masters campaign in the Round of 16, where they lost to seventh seed Holger Rune and 15th seed Karen Khachanov, respectively.
Serena Williams' ex-coach believes Rafael Nadal won't be a contender at the 2024 French Open
Serena Williams' ex-coach Rick Macci said that he doesn’t see Rafael Nadal as a potential contender at the 2024 French Open. After a nearly three-month break due to an injury sustained in Brisbane, Nadal returned to the game at the Barcelona Open with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Italian player Flavio Cobolli.
In an interview with Sportskeeda, Macci spoke about Nadal’s return to the sport and praised his remarkable accomplishments.
"First off – the King of Clay; the best claycourt player to ever hold a racket; 112-3 at the French Open – are you kidding me? If you are 112-3 at anything, you’re amazing let alone pro tennis," he told Sportskeeda.
Macci suggested that Nadal's limited mobility due to past injuries might hinder his Grand Slam performance.
"But yes. Rafa doesn’t quite move like I’ve seen him move in the past. And even in the Grand Slams - now you’re playing the best of five," Macci said.
Macci expressed his doubts over Nadal’s chances for a 15th French Open win due to health and lack of match practice.
"That invincibility is kinda over, alright? He still - on clay, if his health is good - and it’s all about his health - he can still be a rough out for anybody. But as a contender, I can’t see it. He hasn’t played enough. The fear factor’s kinda gone," the American coach said.
Rafael Nadal's clay-court campaign at the Barcelona Open was short-lived as the Spaniard was defeated 7-5, 6-1 by fourth seed Alex de Minaur in the second round.
Novak Djokovic jokingly blamed Grigor Dimitrov for his son Stefan’s bracelet obsession
Grigor Dimitrov engaged in a fun-filled Q&A session, answering inquiries from fellow players such as Novak Djokovic, Tommy Paul, Alexander Bublik, Hubert Hurcakz, and Felix Auger Aliassame.
Djokovic questioned Dimitrov about his fondness for Van Cleef bracelets. Dimitrov humorously responded that his collection of Van Cleef bracelets outnumbers what Djokovic could possibly wear on his wrist.
"All right Grigor, we know that you are a great fan of the Van Cleef bracelets. How many of those you got?" asked Djokovic.
"Novak, more than you can put on your wrist, man. I am a big fan of the Van Cleefs" Dimitrov replied.
Djokovic jokingly expressed his concern about his son Stefan's interest in Van Cleef bracelets, adding that Dimitrov's fondness for them had become a topic of discussion at home.
"Oh, by the way, my son asked to get one and I said no you're not going to wear a Van Cleef bracelet at nine years old. He's like but then why Dimitrov is wearing?. So just to let you know, you've been the talk of the house," the Serb added.
Nick Kyrgios talked about victories over players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic
Nick Kyrgios reflected on his wins against the Big Three (Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal) during his chat with Naomi Osaka on the 'Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios' podcast.
The 28-year-old suggested that players like Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic probably never expected to be defeated by him. The Aussie attributed this to his perceived lack of professionalism in the sport, which he believes has hindered his ability to consistently succeed despite his talent.
"I don't think Federer, Nadal or Djokovic ever thought they'd lose to me. I think they look back and they're like, "How the hell did we manage to lose to him?"," Kyrgios told Osaka.
"So how was that like and were you able to digest that that happened?" Osaka asked the Australian.
"I guess I think about how unprofessional I was at that time. I didn't give my full self to the game. I wasn't training all the time and it just happened really early in my career," Kyrgios answered.
Maria Sharapova offers a glimpse of her pre-birthday retreat in Spain
Maria Sharapova offered a glimpse into her pre-birthday escape to Spain, where she visited the towns of Getaria and San Sebastian. Sharapova, whose birthday is on April 19, shared that she indulged in plenty of food and exploration during her journey from Getaria to San Sebastian.
"Eating ( so much eating!! 😳)and walking (very little walking in ratio to eating 😅) our way through San Sebastian for a little pre birthday getaway. 🍄🟫 The cheesecake at La Vina alone was worth every bit of jet lag," Maria Sharapova wrote.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
