Korda feline lucky as Rafa’s cat out of hell
Nadal shows claws to kid who named pet after him
RAFA NADAL crushed the kid who named his cat after him but at least sent him off with an autograph to remember Roland Garros by.
The Spaniard allowed Sebastian Korda just four games as a 6-1 6-1 6-2 victory saw the clay-court king race into the French Open quarter-finals.
The 20-year-old idolised Nadal to such an extent that he named his cat after him. But the world No.2 showed his claws – then his penmanship as Korda used the chance to ask his hero for an autograph.
The American said: “Ever since I was a kid, I was in love with him and everything about him. I would watch every single match.
“He almost hit an around-the-net forehand and I was kind of begging for it to go in because that would have been the coolest thing ever. And then he hit a running forehand winner on me at the lines. I just said to myself, ‘This is awesome’.
“I don’t know if anyone’s ever asked him for an autograph after a match. But that was definitely the coolest moment of my life and one I’ll never forget.”
Italian Jannik Sinner, making his debut in Paris, will get the chance to test himself against Nadal after a shock 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-3 victory over US Open finalist Alexander Zverev.
The German said: “I’m completely sick. I can’t really breathe.
“I had a feverr as well. I shouldn’t n’t have played.”
Zverev, who o was criticised d for going to a party after r s ay i ng he would isolate following the disastrous Adria Tour this summer, refused to say whether he was concerned he might have Covid. In the women’s draw, top sseed Simona Halep H exited the t tourney as a 19- yearold ol Pole Iga Swiatek Sw raced through thr 6-1 6-2.