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At a press conference ahead of the Dubai Tennis Championships, Paula Badosa showered praise on Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. The Spaniard hailed the Big 3 as incredible players and said she hoped none of them would retire anytime soon.
"I hope that neither Nadal, Federer, or Djokovic will retire from professional tennis. They are amazing," said Badosa.
Nadal, Federer and Djokovic have won a combined total of 61 Grand Slams to date. Their dominance can be seen in the fact that no one in the past 17 years, apart from Andy Murray, has managed to break their stranglehold over the World No. 1 ranking.
Badosa also lauded her "idol" Nadal, saying she had "no words" to describe his terrific fightback in the final at Melbourne Park. The Spaniard became the first player to overturn a two-set deficit in an Australian Open final.
Calling the 21-time Grand Slam champion her "inspiration," Badosa remarked that watching him play gave her "goosebumps."
"I was shocked after watching the match. I'm still shocked. It was amazing to see him win a match after losing the first two sets. It's not really surprising because it's Rafa, but he did it against the number two in the world. I have no words," said the World No. 5
"Nadal is an inspiration to me. He is my idol. Seeing him do this gives me goosebumps. He is a very important person for our country and for the world of sport," added the 24-year-old.
Rafael Nadal likely to feature at Acapulco Open, also confirms participation at Indian Wells Masters
After making history at the Australian Open, Nadal is scheduled to compete at the Acapulco Open, an ATP 500 event that commences on February 21.
A three-time champion in Mexico, Nadal last won the Acapulco Open in 2020. Only David Ferrer and Thomas Muster have won the tournament more times than the Spaniard (four each).
In addition to Acapulco, the Spaniard has confirmed his presence at the Indian Wells Masters, a tournament he has not won since 2013.
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