The 22 times Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal receives a lot of adoration for his gameplay and persistence. However, a factor that fans unknowingly admire is his rituals. Nadal has a set of activities that he performs before landing a serve. In a way, it showcases consistency and dates back to the time when he was just a kid.

Yes, the Spanish tennis ace has been doing his routine since childhood. Recently a clip surfaced on the internet and fans were over the moon by witnessing little Nadal perform the exact same things the 36-year-old does now. Here’s how they reacted.

Fans react to baby Rafael Nadal performing the rituals

In the clip that is spreading like a wildfire, Nadal can be seen tucking his hair and fixing his clothes before making a serve. As a response to which, fans flooded the comment section with a range of emotions.

Some mentioned how adorable his habit is. “STOP the serve routine w the hair tuck has alw been the same,” one fan wrote.

Further, others pointed out how legendary and inspiring Nadal’s life has been. “AN ICON,” a fan wrote.

Also, one mentioned the possibility of the clip being shot with a child actor by writing, “Sorry to be a spoilsport, but I’m pretty sure the kid doing the rituals isn’t Rafa, but an actor.”

Nadal is one of the big three players of this generation. He, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal surpassed many veterans and unlocked new records. Therefore, his habit since childhood is justifiable when kept against his crazy records.

Read more: ‘I Had Come Close to Tennis Death’ – When Rafael Nadal Was Left Disdained With Life’s Race Against Time

What are your thoughts on the same? Do you also think it’s a child actor or are you going to put your faith in the authenticity of the fact?

The ups and downs in Nadal’s tennis year

The former World No 1 started the year with a bang by claiming the Majors in Australia and executing a 20-match winning streak. Although the rib injury from Indian Wells broke his streak, he managed to win his 14th French Open title. But after that, his long-lived foot injury resurfaced and kept him out of the warm-up events of the grass swing.

Watch this story: How Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, and Others Travel

Nadal directly took part in the Grand Slam and, keeping true to his hype, made up to the semifinals. However, the abdominal injury he incurred during the battle of the last eight against Taylor Fritz forced him to withdraw. Following that, his grip loosened, and he gave a subpar performance in the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals.