Rafael Nadal showered his baby son with kisses while cradling him in an adorable moment following the 2024 French Open exit. In other news, Martina Navratilova called out Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian-backed bar for honoring a transgender athlete.
Meanwhile, Alize Cornet broke down in tears as she embraced retirement following her first-round exit in Paris. Elena Rybakina responded tersely to journalists’ questions in a press conference at the French Open.
Also, Danielle Collins opened up on the reason behind her participation in the Internationaux de Strasbourg ahead of the clay-court Grand Slam.
On that note, here's a recap of today's top tennis news:
Rafael Nadal shares an adorable moment with his baby son following French Open exit
Rafael Nadal spent quality time with his 19-month-old son Rafa Jr. following his 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 defeat against fourth seed Alexander Zverev at the 2024 French Open.
While his wife and son cheered him on from the stands, Nadal showed his playful side after the match. Videos captured the heartwarming moment when he cuddled and kissed his little one.
Watch the video below:
Martina Navratilova criticizes Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian-backed bar for celebrating trans athlete
Martina Navratilova was outraged after 'The Sports Bra,' a bar backed by Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian and dedicated to promoting women's sports, celebrated a trans athlete winning at the Oregon State Track championships, which sparked backlash on social media due to her participation in a girls' event.
Navratilova expressed her shock over the situation on X (formerly Twitter).
"Seriously??? Can't make this up...," Navratilova wrote.
Alize Cornet retires following 1R loss at the French Open
Alize Cornet was in tears during her post-match speech after a 6-2, 6-1 loss to Qinwen Zheng in the first round of the French Open, marking the end of her singles career. The tournament honored Cornet with a tribute at Court Philippe-Chatrier, where director Amelie Mauresmo embraced her as she wept during the touching moment.
Watch the video below:
In her speech, Cornet said she was already emotional after watching Rafael Nadal’s possible last match in Paris against Alexander Zverev.
“First of all thank you for staying here. I’m really moved. I was already in tears after Rafa Nadal’s match. I’m in more tears now. Lots of emotions. I’ve been preparing myself for weeks for this moment but you’re never really ready when you have to say goodbye," Cornet said.
Elena Rybakina dismisses journalists' questions with short answers in strange French Open interview
Elena Rybakina seemed reluctant to respond to journalists' questions at the 2024 French Open, giving curt replies in an unusual display before ending the press conference. Following her first-round 6-2, 6-3 win over Greet Minnen, Rybakina appeared unimpressed and visibly annoyed by the repetitive questions about her past illness and opponents.
Watch the video below:
Fourth seed Elena Rybakina will take on Arantxa Rus in the second round on May 30.
Danielle Collins discusses the reason behind her participation in the Internationaux de Strasbourg before the French Open
Danielle Collins shared the reason why she chose to play in the Internationaux de Strasbourg before the 2024 French Open. Collins lost 6-1, 6-2 to Madison Keys in the Strasbourg final.
After defeating compatriot Caroline Dolehide 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the French Open, Collins spoke to Prakash Amritraj on the Tennis Channel and admitted that she had considered skipping Strasbourg but decided it offered better preparation than waiting for the clay-court Grand Slam.
"I did (think about not playing Strasbourg). I thought about it and then I thought, 'Well what am I going to do in Paris for 10 days. Am I just going to be twiddling my thumbs waiting for the next match?," Danielle Collins said.
"I kind of thought the best preparation is matches and it was nice that they had a 500 level tournament the week before a Slam and I got some great matches in. I felt like that was going to be the best practice for me. So, it was like a no-brainer. I thought about not going then I was like, 'You're going to get bored,'" she added.
Collins, who earned $87,659 (€76,225) as the runner-up, humorously mentioned that she had bills to pay.
"Hey, I've got to say too, I've got to keep it real here, I got bills to pay. Alright, I got bills to pay, and practice weeks you're not making any money, tournament weeks you're bringing in the cheques," she remarked.
Danielle Collins will face Serb Olga Danilovic in the second round on May 29.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here