Classy Rafael Nadal reunited with ballgirl after on-court incident
Not content with giving her a kiss on the cheek on the court, Rafael Nadal took time out of his busy Australian Open schedule to meet up with the ballgirl he accidentally hit during his win on Rod Laver Arena.
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“To my friend, Anita”, signed Rafael Nadal.
That was the inscription the world No.1 put on the Rafa Nadal Academy cap he gifted Australian Open ball girl Anita Birchall on Friday.
Nadal reunited with Birchall at Melbourne Park less than 12 hours after accidentally hitting the 13 year-old in the face with a tennis ball during Thursday night’s win at Rod Laver Arena.
Ball kids will be lining up to get hit in the face next year. 🎾 Nice touch by @RafaelNadal to seek out little Anita today. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/dJmyoxVmko
— Gilbert Gardiner (@gilbertgardiner) January 24, 2020
Nadal spent about 20 minutes with the doe-eyed teenager on Friday, apologising again for incident beamed globally the past 24 hours.
He also planted another kiss on Birchall’s cheek – her second in as many days.
“It was amazing (talking to Nadal), he’s my favourite player and it was incredible that I got to meet him and talk to him,” Anita said.
“He’s very friendly and nice, he’s very kind and shows really great sportsmanship.”
Birchall was standing alongside the chair umpire when struck in the face, the 13 year-old, partly shocked but most embarrassed, barely flinched a muscle.
“I didn’t see it coming,” Anita said.
“It was just a little bit sore and then I was fine afterwards.”
Birchall will be back on duty today at Melbourne Park after a lively rostered day off.
“There’s been a lot of people asking me if I’m OK,” Birchall said.
“I had a lot of texts last (Thursday) night.”
Anita’s parents, Stephen and Olga Birchall, and little brother, Mark, 11, got to meet Nadal today after a practice session.
Nadal spoke openly to the family about tennis, his motivation to win slams, the academy in Majorca and plans for the season ahead, including the Olympics.
“You know I’m a dangerous man,” Nadal said, smiling broadly from ear-to-ear.
“No, first time in my life I hit someone.”
Mother Olga Birchall today praised a “lovely” Nadal for taking the time to see Anita again.
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But mother of two revealed she actually missed the moment her daughter went global.
“I was in the bathroom when she got hit,” Birchall said.
“By the time I came out, my phone was full of messages, I thought it was a joke (at first).... then went into (mother mode) wanting to know if she was OK.”
Anita called her mum shortly after Nadal’s third-round win.
“(She said) I’m OK I won’t tell you where I was hit because you’ll panic,” Birchall said.