The 2018 Roland Garros quarterfinalist said she couldn't hold back the tears when she watched the King of Clay triumph in Paris. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday October 21, 2020
As a longtime fan of the King of Clay, Daria Kasatkina has always made it known that Rafael Nadal is her favorite tennis player to root for.
With that knowledge in mind, I asked the 23-year-old Russian how she felt about Nadal’s 13th Roland Garros after her victory over Elena Rybakina on Tuesday in Ostrava. As expected, she was quick, and decisive, with her answer.
"Yes, that was sweet,” she said. “I was enjoying so much watching the final and I was crying with him while he was staying with the [Coupe des Mousquetaires]. The tears were falling from his eyes, it was very sweet.”
Kasatkina on Rafa's RG: "I was crying with him while he was staying with the cup. The tears were falling from his eyes, it was very sweet. It's like he's winning 13 Roland Garros, 20 Grand Slams, and it still means so much to him and this is the real love to the sport, I think." pic.twitter.com/dM0N63ax7u
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Kasatkina, a former quarterfinalist in Paris, went on to praise the genuine, humble nature of her favorite player, nothing that his appreciation of the moment and his love for the sport impressed her even more than his tennis.
“It's like he's winning 13 Roland Garros, 20 Grand Slams, and it still means so much to him and this is the real love to the sport, I think,” she said.
