Tennis News Today: Rafael Nadal’s sister Maribel adorably reacts to Roger Federer's praise for Spaniard's academy; Aryna Sabalenka & boyfriend Georgios Frangulis relish romantic Greek getaway ahead of China Open

Rafael Nadal's sister Maribel adorably responded to Roger Federer's appreciation for the Spaniard's tennis academy in Mallorca. In other news, Aryna Sabalenka and her boyfriend Georgios Frangulis enjoyed a blissful Greek getaway ahead of the Belarusian's China Open campaign.

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff's former coach Brad Gilbert weighed in on Daniil Medvedev’s close call with default following an angry meltdown at the Laver Cup. Jannik Sinner made his first public appearance with Novak Djokovic’s former trainer and physiotherapist in Beijing ahead of the China Open.

Also, Carlos Alcaraz refuted comparisons with Roger Federer after successfully leading Team Europe to the Laver Cup title after two years.

On that note, here's a recap of today's top tennis news:

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Rafael Nadal's sister Maribel reacts to Roger Federer’s high praise for the Spaniard's tennis academy

Rafael Nadal's sister Maribel had a heartwarming response when Roger Federer praised her brother's tennis academy in Spain. Earlier this year, Federer visited Nadal's academy in Mallorca and spoke highly of it.

During a recent interview with Bloomberg TV, the Swiss was asked to offer investment advice related to his long-time rival.

"I know he does a lot of investments, actually. I was surprised how much he was doing when I went to visit his academy in Mallorrca, which by the way, is incredible. If you haven’t seen it yet you should go and look at it, it’s a wonderful academy. I think it’s great what he is doing," Federer replied.

"He was telling me about a lot of investments he was doing off to the side, which is exciting to see. He is not only into forehands and backhands, he is also interested in investments. Who knows, maybe in the future we can do something together as well," he added.

Maribel, who serves as the managing director of the Rafa Nadal Academy, responded by reposting Federer’s compliments on her Instagram story.

"🤗😍"

Maribel Nadal on Instagram (instagram.com/mariabel_nadal)

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal faced each other 40 times between 2004 and 2019, with Nadal holding a 24-16 lead.

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Aryna Sabalenka and boyfriend Georgios Frangulis savor a relaxing Greek retreat ahead of China Open

Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend Georgios Frangulis offered a peek at their peaceful getaway in Greece, where the couple enjoyed some relaxation ahead of the Belarusian's China Open campaign. Prior to resuming the tour, Sabalenka and Frangulis traveled to Switzerland and then Greece.

Frangulis shared images from their trip on his Instagram stories, showing the couple seated together at a waterfront spot.

Check out the pictures here:

Screenshots of Georgios Frangulis' Instagram story [Instagram@georgiosfrangulis]

World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka is gearing up for her fourth main draw appearance at the 2024 China Open in Beijing, set to take place from September 25 to October 6. The Belarusian's best performances in Beijing were quarterfinal finishes in 2017 and 2023.

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Coco Gauff’s ex-coach Brad Gilbert speaks out after Daniil Medvedev skirts default at Laver Cup

Coco Gauff's former coach Brad Gilbert commented on Daniil Medvedev's close call with default after an outburst during his 7-6(6), 5-7, 7-10 loss to Team World's Ben Shelton on Day 3 of the 2024 Laver Cup.

In the opening set, Shelton forced a tiebreak and ended up earning a set point. In a moment of anger, Medvedev threw his racket towards the crowd, but fortunately, it did not hit anyone. Team World immediately protested, arguing that Medvedev's actions could have led to a default. However, chair umpire Mohammed Lahyani chose to issue a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct instead.

Gilbert weighed in on the incident on X, calling Medvedev "lucky" to avoid a default and suggesting the need to revisit the rules.

"Meddy Bear (Daniil Medvedev) was pretty lucky in that racket Chuck, maybe at some point his rule needs to be relooked at more closely then umpires referee decisions," Gilbert wrote.

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Jannik Sinner makes first public showing with Novak Djokovic’s former physiotherapist and trainer in Beijing

Jannik Sinner was seen for the first time with Novak Djokovic’s former fitness coach Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio as he arrived in Beijing ahead of the 2024 China Open (September 26-October 2).

Sinner recently added Panichi and Badio to his team after parting ways with his previous fitness trainer, Umberto Ferrara, and physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, following a doping scandal. Panichi left Djokovic’s team in April this year, while Badio departed at the end of 2022.

In videos shared online, Sinner’s team is seen being greeted by fans and organizers at the Beijing airport upon arrival.

Watch the videos here:

Top seed Jannik Sinner will be aiming to replicate his debut performance from last year, where he defeated Daniel Evans, Yoshihito Nishioka, Grigor Dimitrov, Carlos Alcaraz, and eventually Daniil Medvedev in the final to clinch the title.

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Carlos Alcaraz dismisses Roger Federer comparison following Team Europe's Laver Cup victory

Carlos Alcaraz quickly dismissed comparisons to Roger Federer made by his teammates after helping Team Europe secure the 2024 Laver Cup trophy.

In a post-match press conference after defeating Team World's Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5 in the final match of Day 3, Alcaraz was asked about being referred to as 'Fed05'—a nod to Federer during his prime in 2005.

The Spaniard humbly responded that he felt “too far” from the exceptional level that the Swiss legend displayed in the mid-2000s.

"I’m too far away from that level," he said. "Hopefully I’ll reach it one day. But it’s gonna be impossible. They have to change my name because Fed 05 is gonna be forever for [Roger Federer]," Alcaraz said.

Alcaraz had a challenging Laver Cup debut with a doubles loss on Day 1, where he and his partner Zverev lost 6-7(5), 4-6 to Team World’s Ben Shelton and Fritz. However, he rebounded on Day 2 with his first singles victory over Shelton 6-4, 6-4.

On Day 3, the Spaniard paired with Casper Ruud to defeat Team World's Frances Tiafoe and Shelton 6-2, 7-6(6). Ultimately, Alcaraz guided Team Europe to a 13-11 victory, finishing the event with a straight-set win against Fritz.