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It was the Hamburg European Open in 2015. Rafael Nadal was the top seed in the tournament and a strong favorite to win the title. Further, the Spaniard lived up to his billing as he defeated Fabio Fognini of Italy in the summit clash to win the title. It was a straightforward win for Nadal in the final, prevailing over the Italian in straight sets.

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Following his victory, Nadal suffered an injury scare. However, despite suffering from pain, the Spaniard continued to give his victory speech.

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Rafael Nadal once suffered from cramps during a victory speech

The 22-time Grand Slam champion proceeded to the court to thank all the stakeholders involved for making the tournament successful. He said, “I want to say thanks to all the sponsors who make possible the event, without the support of the people and everybody I am cramping, you know.”

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USA Today via Reuters

Subsequently, Nadal lifted his right leg and continued to give his speech while the physio arrived. Nadal continued, “Ok, ok, we continue like this. It’s not a joke. Well, by the way, it has been a very important week for me and I hope to see you soon again and now I don’t know what to do but thank you very much, everybody.”

Recently, Nadal played with Roger Federer at the Laver Cup. It was the Swiss maestro’s last match of his illustrious career. However, the duo lost out to Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock on Day 1 of the tournament.

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Subsequently, both Nadal and Federer were left emotional after their match. The picture of Federer holding Nadal’s hand as the two shed tears went viral on social media.

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Nadal withdrew from the Laver Cup after playing with Federer owing to personal reasons. He rushed to his hometown to be with his wife Mery Perello, who is expecting their first child.

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However, she had a health scare recently and was hospitalized. This has put a question mark over Nadal’s participation in the upcoming tournaments. Nonetheless, Nadal is continuing to train, hoping to be back for the Paris Masters later next month.

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Vatsal Shah

3,705 Articles

Vatsal Shah is a tennis journalist at EssentiallySports, covering ATP and WTA storylines from the ES Trends Desk since 2023. He delivers breaking insights on major tournaments and player arcs, decoding tactical shifts and viral moments into accessible takeaways for fans worldwide. His coverage of Taylor Townsend’s Dubai title win stood out for capturing both the emotional significance of her victory and the context of her comeback. Drawing on his background as a recreational player, Vatsal adds a courtside perspective to his reporting, bringing depth and authenticity to Grand Slam coverage for the ES News Center. By combining sharp observation with a clear, engaging writing style, he ensures that key tennis moments are not only reported but truly understood. Fluent in English, French, and German, as well as three Indian languages, Gujarati, Hindi, and Marathi, Vatsal connects with a diverse global readership. With his mix of linguistic reach, analytical insight, and passion for the sport, he is carving a niche as a fresh, incisive voice in tennis journalism.

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Tony Thomas

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