‘My Father Passed Me This Week’ – Rafael Nadal Explains a Fun Team Activity He Partakes During Tournaments

Rafael Nadal has moved ahead in the Grand Slam race between the ‘Big Three’ after winning an unprecedented 22nd Grand Slam title on Sunday. Nadal is now clear at the top with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, both on 20 Slams.

However, Nadal has been suffering from a foot injury after enduring over 12 hours on the court in Paris. This did not stop the Spaniard from winning his 14th La Coupe des Mousquetaires in the capital.

Nadal talks pastime outside of tennis

The mercurial Spaniard has admitted in the past that he likes spending time with his friends, playing a game of ‘Parcheesi’, a modern board game. In an interview with ATP.com, Nadal talked about whether if he ends up on the winning end in these games. He says, “Depends on the day. There are days that it is a contrary therapy because I have to put up with Marc [López], who has no idea. Parcheesi has a very good thing: you spend two hours without realizing it, and it’s a way to let go of mobile phones.”

“It’s a positive thing to be with the team playing before games, or in an airport between hours. It is a distraction and a competition that we have between us, with an annual ranking. I was going first, but I think my father passed me this week, and without playing,” he added.

Also Read: ‘Wrote Me a Message’ – Rafael Nadal Confirms Roger Federer Complimented Him Over French Open Victory

The 36-year-old has even admitted to missing games on TV, as he was occupied playing the popular board game.

Will Wimbledon witness the return of Rafael Nadal?

Nadal has now won the first two Grand Slam titles of the year. However, after returning from a foot surgery and a stress fracture on his rib, Nadal will be wary of the second half of the year. The recurring foot injury has also forced Nadal to play with painkillers during matches.

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With ATP removing ranking points from Wimbledon this year, the major event could see some big names missing from the draw. World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev will not be allowed to participate, after the All-England Club’s decision to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Will we see the newly crowned 22-time Grand Slam winner Nadal in London this month?