Rafael Nadel may be out of tennis for the moment as his injured knee heals from tendinitis, but the Spanish tennis hero boosted his spirits after missing the Olympics and the US Open run-up season by dining with his country’s king on his home island of Mallorca.
Spanish media reported that the sports-mad monarch actually had his people ring Nadal to make the dinner date for the world No. 3, his girfriend and a few family members at a noted local restaurant in full view of summer tourists.
The regal evening out was designed as a pick-me-up for Nadal, who has not played since losing in the Wimbledon second round nearly two months ago to Czech Lukas Rosol and who could well miss the US Open starting in a fortnight.
Nadal was to have been the Spanish flag-bearer in the opening ceremony before he had to withdraw from the Games on doctor’s orders.