by Pat Cash has nightmares about playing against Rafael Nadal as a teenager.
Tributes poured in for the Spaniard from around the world after he announced his retirement from professional tennis.
Nadal will bow out of the sport after representing Spain at the Davis Cup final in November.
Before that, he takes part in the Six Kings Grand Slam and Nadal will face Novak Djokovic in the playoff for third place on Saturday.
What did Pat Cash say about Rafael Nadal after playing against him as a teenager?
Cash told the story when he competed against Rafael Nadal, then just 13 years old, in a legends match on Nadal’s home island of Mallorca.
The 1987 Wimbledon winner was originally scheduled to face Boris Becker, but the former world number one suffered an injury and was unable to compete.
Nadal took his place and Cash was pleasantly surprised at what his opponent could achieve at such a young age, and the Australian suffered defeat.
“I played a legends show match in Mallorca. I was supposed to play against Boris Becker but Boris got injured and the tournament organizers panicked,” Cash told Sky Sports. “They said we didn’t have anyone to play with, but we had this junior world champion.
“That’s when I met Rafa. He had a bowl haircut. I was too nice to him and he ended up hitting me. It took a few weeks for him to turn 14!
“I was retired but he beat me in the first set and the crowd was thrilled, they were cheering. I said that’s all, I’ll go back to my old serve and volley game. Won the second set pretty easily. Tiebreak in the third set.
“I thought he was suffocating. Of course he didn’t choke. He fired shots from all over the court. I came back and said, ‘Oh my God, this kid is becoming something else,’ and he was!”
Rafael Nadal has had a truly spectacular career
A year after his exhibition match with Cash, Nadal turned professional and won his first ATP Tour title in Sopot in 2004.
The Spaniard became increasingly successful and won his first Grand Slam title at the French Open in 2005.
Over the next five years, Nadal became world number one, an Olympic champion and, at just 24, the youngest man to win every Grand Slam.
Now, in 2024 and a month before his retirement, Nadal has won 22 majors and established himself as one of tennis’ greatest players.
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