"Dirk Nowitzki's not just a basketball legend, he knows his tennis" - Christopher Eubanks on being nervous at German attending his Dallas Open clash
Christopher Eubanks hailed basketball legend Dirk Nowitzki's tennis knowhow after winning his first-round match at the Dallas Open.
Eubanks, seeded fifth at this year's Dallas Open, made short work of qualifier Johnson and won 6-3, 6-1 to progress into the second round. Former Dallas Mavericks superstar Nowitzki was in attendance at Dallas' Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex to watch the action.
During the post-match oncourt interview, Eubanks was asked about how he felt playing in front of Nowitzki, one of the most illustrious power forwards in basketball history.
Despite being all-smiles, he hinted at feeling nervous performing with Nowitzki watching on. The 27-year-old also acknowledged the latter's knowledge of tennis.
"Definitely (felt nervous) because the thing is, he's not just a basketball legend, he knows his tennis," Christopher Eubanks said.
Eubanks also provided some insight on Nowitzki's tennis skills, adding:
"He (Nowitzki) has a pretty good oneie (one-handed backhand) himself, so when I missed a few one-handers I made sure I didn't look over there. Hopefully he wouldn't be shaking his head saying 'I would've made that'."
A look at Dirk Nowitzki's passion for tennis following Christopher Eubanks' comments
Dirk Nowitzki earned his stellar reputation through his illustrious basketball career, which saw him lead the Mavericks to their only NBA Championship in 2011. However, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer has always been an avid follower of tennis as well.
In 2023, the German was in Melbourne to watch the Australian Open and was spotted at the Indian Wells Masters two months later as well.
In an interview with the official website of the WTA Tour last year, Nowitzki opened up on his tennis passion. He also revealed who his favorite tennis players were.
"I love tennis. I grew up playing tennis, so I've followed the sport my entire life. Of course, I'm a huge Roger Federer guy, a [Rafael] Nadal fan. It's tough to really pick one favorite," he said.
Nowitzki's love for tennis also saw him play a supporting role at the 2023 Laver Cup alongside fellow NBA legend Steve Nash. The duo took to the court during the pre-match coin toss ahead of the contest between Team Europe's Hubert Hurkacz and Team World's Frances Tiafoe.
Nowitzi and Nash later joined Federer in the stands to catch some doubles action. The match in question saw Ben Shelton pair up with Team World teammate Felix-Auger Aliassime to take on Hurkacz and Gael Monfils.