After Rafael Nadal was stopped in the quarterfinals of Australian Open by Dominic Thiem, who will play the AO final against Novak Djokovic, the Spaniard said farewell to Australia and to all the fans that supported him for the incredible moments they had offered him for yet another year in his illustrious career.
“So long Australia. It’s been again an unforgettable time. Thanks to all the tennis fans here and around the world. I’ll definitely be back here next year and try my best!” Nadal said on Instagram. Nadal left Melbourne after world number 5 Dominic Thiem edged him in 4 sets, of which 3 have ended with a tie-break (7/6 7/6 4/6 7/6).
Before being stopped by the ‘Dominator’, Nadal kicked out Hugo Dellien, Federico Delbonis, Pablo Carreno-Busta and Nick Kyrgios. As a parting-gift, Nadal posted a picture of his team and family on his Instagram account.
The next location Rafael Nadal will play at should be Cape Town, South Africa, even if Rafa said in his farewell message: “On my way now to… ??? TBA (To be announced)”. In South Africa, Nadal will play an exhibition match with Roger Federer.
The Spaniard looks forward to it, even if there were some controversies that raised worries about whether the match will take place or not. Something I am very excited about. It will be my first time in the region with Roger as a tour guide – that will be fun”, Rafael Nadal declared.
The food Rafael Nadal dislikes is a must on Simona Halep’s breakfast menu
If you didn’t know, Rafael Nadal often uses cooking as a relaxing habit even during Grand Slams, but he has his own peculiarities when it comes to choosing the ingredients for his culinary creations. What’s curious is that the food which stands at the top of the Spaniard’s ‘blacklist’ makes Simona Halep’s favorite breakfast combination.
After Simona Halep beat Anett Kontaveit in the Australian Open quarterfinals in a flawless fashion, she was greeted at the post-match conference by an eager journalist, who asked her what she ate for breakfast. “Why? I played really well, no? I have two weeks eating the same thing, ham and cheese”.
Simona answered with a satisfied smile. Per Halep’s declaration, ham and cheese are clearly among her favorite ingredients to start the day with. After all, she’s been devouring them since the start of the Australian Open.
Ham and cheese are two of the most used ingredients in the world, so very few people can say they don’t like them. However, ‘chef’ Rafael Nadal is one of the exceptions. In his book, called “Rafa”, his mother — Ana Maria Parera — told John Carlin, the co-author of the book, that Nadal does not like ham, tomatoes and cheese.
“It is a bit peculiar”, Nadal’s mother told Carlin. Getting past the unusual kitchen habits, Rafael explained why he likes to cook. “I enjoy it, and my family thinks it’s good for me. Something else to help settle my mind. That night I grilled some fish and served some pasta with shrimps”. Rafael Nadal noted.
