“Rafael Nadal knows if he can’t beat Richard Gasquet, he’ll just have to throw in the towel” - Tennis fans joke about duo's shared practice session

Tennis fans were amused to see Rafael Nadal practice with friend and rival Richard Gasquet from France.

Nadal is training at his academy in Kuwait ahead of the final leg of his career. He has stayed off the courts for almost the entire 2023 season, nursing an injury to his hip. He will be returning to competitive tennis at the Brisbane International event, scheduled for a December 31 start.

The 37-year-old was recently seen hitting the nets against the man who has never beaten him to date, Richard Gasquet. He has registered 18 wins over the Frenchman in as many duels on the tour thus far.

Given their history, tennis buffs shared comical responses to the routine. A fan stated that the Spaniard picked the Frenchman to boost his morale ahead of his return.

"Lil bro really had to get his 18-0 punching bag so he can win a practice match," a fan wrote on Reddit.

Another fan praised Gasquet for his commitment as a friend, writing:

"Richie Gasquet is a real one for showing up to get bullied for the nth time in the name of friendship."

A third fan chimed in, saying:

"Gasquet just wanted to get his sh*t kicked in by Rafa one more time for the road."

A user argued that any match-up against Richard Gasquet is a proving ground for Nadal.

"Maybe it’s some sort of litmus test. He knows if he can’t beat Gasquet, he’ll just have to throw in the towel," the user said.

Reactions from Reddit.

Here are a few more reactions from Reddit:

Some more reactions from Reddit.

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A brief chronicle of Rafael Nadal's dominance over Richard Gasquet

Nadal (L) & Gasquet at the 2022 US Open

Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet played against each other for the first time in the year 2004 at the Estoril Open in Portugal. The Spaniard defeated his opponent 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

Their first-ever Grand Slam meeting came in the year 2005 at the French Open. The Spaniard defeated Gasquet in straight sets in a Round-of-32 clash en route to his first Grand Slam title.

Their second meeting at the Majors materialized after four years at the 2009 US Open. The match ended in a similar fashion in favor of Nadal. Their next Major encounter was played out at Flushing Meadows as well. The 22-time Grand Slam champion bettered Gasquet in the semifinals and went on to lift the trophy.

The duo's last three meetings were also played at the Grand Slams — at the French Open in 2018 and 2022, and the US Open in 2022.