Watch: 90-year-old fan bursts into tears of joy after getting birthday greeting from Rafael Nadal

It all started with a request from Pilar Leon on 4 October; that was when she made an attempt to reach out to her grandfather's favorite tennis star Rafael Nadal. In her tweet, Leon explained that her grandfather, Mr. O Parrallo, would be celebrating his 90th birthday on 20 October, and that a message from the 20-time Grand Slam champion would be the "best gift".

The translated tweet from Pilar Leon read: "Hello there @RafaelNadal! The person you see in the video is my grandfather 'O Parrallo', he turns 90 on October 20. Admires you! And the best gift that life can give him is that you congratulate him in a video. Many thanks!"

Fortunately for Mr. Parrallo, the tweet was well-received, garnering nearly 1,400 retweets and 200 comments. Eventually, through the power of the internet, it found its way to Rafael Nadal himself.

Unlike his fierce on-court persona, Nadal has always been known as one of the nicest guys in the sporting world. And to the delight of many, the Spaniard obliged the fan's request.

The 90-year-old's reaction to receiving a video greeting from Nadal on his birthday was, as expected, quite heart-warming. Elated and in disbelief, Mr. Parrallo broke into tears of joy as he watched his favorite tennis player commemorate the special occasion through a phone screen.

Leon was quick to share her grandfather's reaction on Twitter, although she refrained from putting out Nadal's video message because she wanted it to remain private. Leon also expressed her gratitude towards everyone who had helped turn her request to reality.

The translated tweet from Pilar Leon read: "Eternally grateful to @RafaelNadal and to all of you who have helped make his 90th birthday unforgettable. I hope you understand that I will leave the video private. I will show you his reaction."

In the video, Rafael Nadal is briefly heard saying: "I know today is a very special day, your birthday. I would like to send you a big hug. I would like to wish you a very happy birthday and I wish you the best."

Rafael Nadal is gearing up for a return to the court

There have been videos doing the rounds across social media platforms of late, where Rafael Nadal is seen sweating it out at his tennis academy in Mallorca. Coach Carlos Moya's presence during the practice session has seemingly eased tensions among concerned fans amidst speculation about the Spaniard's retirement.

There has been no confirmation about when exactly the King of Clay will make a comeback to competitive tennis. But Nadal's well-wishers are hoping to see him play the first Major of the upcoming season, to be held at Melbourne in January.