WATCH: Rafael Nadal almost collides with runners participating in Adidas 10K Paris as he hilariously crosses road on his way to French Open practice
Rafael Nadal recently encountered runners participating in the Adidas 10K Paris race while going to practice for his 2024 French Open campaign. The Spaniard is set to lock horns with Germany's Alexander Zverev in the first round.
Accompanied by his entourage, Nadal found himself in a dilemma while trying to cross the road in Paris as he saw the participants in the Adidas-sponsored run dashing towards him.
He eventually decided to make the move, prompting the runners to slow down. He hilariously jogged out of their way to avoid a collision while the runner recognized him and broke out in claps and cheers.
The incident was captured in the video attached below:
Nearly 30,000 runners participated in the Adidas 10K race held on Sunday, May 26. The contestants ran from the Paris' Arc de Triomphe to the finish line at Avenue Foch.
In the men's category, Hassan Chahdi, Florian Carvalho, and Yohan Durand finished on the podium, in descending order, whereas Margaux Sieracki (1), Citlali Cristian (2), and Marie Perrier (3) topped the women's tally. Chahdi completed the run in 29'37 whereas Sieracki crossed the finish line when the clock hit 32'18 on her run.
Going back to tennis, Nadal's first-round fight with Zverev is scheduled for Monday, May 27. Zverev has entered the draw as the fourth seed and the 2024 Italian Open champ. However, the Spaniard enjoys a favorable 7-3 head-to-head record against the German.
"In my mind, I'm going to play peak Rafael Nadal and that's what I expect him to be" - Alexander Zverev
In his pre-tournament press conference at the 2024 French Open, Alexander Zverev denied undermining Rafael Nadal's prowess despite the latter's age and the on-court absence in 2023.
"In my mind, I'm going to play peak Rafa and that's what I expect him to be. I expect him to be at his absolute best. I expect him to play the best tennis that he's played in a long time on this court," Zverev said.
Zverev recalled the Spaniard's 2022 French Open campaign, where he was crowned for a record-extending 14th time by proving the pundits wrong.
"In 2022, he came into Roland Garros not winning Monte-Carlo, not winning Madrid, not winning Rome. He came into this tournament, everybody was like, 'Oh, he's a big question mark, he's this and that.' He came and dominated," the World No. 4 added.
Notably, Zverev's last meeting with the 22-time Grand Slam champion happened during the 2022 French Open itself. It was a thrilling semifinal showdown where he injured his ankle horribly and walked out with crutches trailing 7-6(8), 6-6.