Top 7 wholesome tennis moments of 2021
Tennis witnessed some heartbreaking moments in 2021, but it was not without its share of feel-good moments either. Both on and off the court, tennis players displayed moments of sweetness and grace, shedding their shroud of competitiveness.
2021 encompassed moments of camaraderie between players usually considered rivals, genuine displays of sporting spirit, and moments of shared wonder that ultimately lifted the spirits of tennis fans all over the world.
Here is a look at seven of the most wholesome moments in tennis that took place in 2021:
#7 The Roger Federer - Andy Murray twitter bromance
Roger Federer returned to Roland Garros in 2021 after being away for more than a year since the 2020 Australian Open. In the fourth round, he managed to fend off Dominic Koepfer in a four-set marathon that lasted more than 200 minutes.
Andrew Murray was emotional about seeing Federer back on the circuit, and in a tweet, expressed his awe at the 39-year-old still going strong and called it "inspirational".
Im not bothered by the outcome of this match at all. Just seeing Federer at 39 off the back of 2 knee surgeries playing to an empty stadium at 12.30am getting fired up is inspirational to me. Do what you ❤️
Later that day, Federer took to Twitter to thank Murray for his words and hoped he'd cross paths with Murray soon on the tennis court:
Thank you Sir Andy, the feeling is mutual. You gotta love it 💚 See you on the 🌱🎾 twitter.com/andy_murray/st…
#6 Novak Djokovic gifting his racket to a young fan at Wimbledon
After defeating Matteo Berrettini to win his 20th Grand Slam, Novak Djokovic captured a young tennis fan's heart as well by gifting her his match racket. The little girl was standing court-side holding a poster for Djokovic - each letter of his first name corresponding to a suitable adjective.
The post went viral on social media, with the official Wimbledon account posting it on both Instagram and Twitter. Djokovic retweeted the post.
"She was the cutest," he wrote in the caption.
She was the cutest 🥰 twitter.com/Wimbledon/stat…
This is not the first time Novak Djokovic has given his racket to a fan. Earlier this year, he gave away his racket following his French Open victory. After defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in five sets, he gifted his racket to a young fan saying:
"He was in my ear the entire match basically, especially when I was two-sets-to-love down."
A gift to a great supporter 😄
#RolandGarros | @DjokerNole https://t.co/F04a5UDNQr
#5 Naomi Osaka's magical moment with a butterfly at the Australian Open
Naomi Osaka won her fourth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open this year but that was not her only magical moment of the tournament.
During her third-round match against Tunisia's Ons Jabeur, Osaka had a surprise visitor in the form of a butterfly which resulted in a host of spectacular photos.
Naomi Osaka and a butterfly. Picture perfect! #AusOpen
🦋🦋🦋 https://t.co/eBQqwjFQyU
The beautiful insect refused to leave her side until the current World No.13 safely carried it to the sidelines and patiently waited till it decided to fly away.
#4 Rafael Nadal paying a surprise visit to his fan battling Alzheimer's disease
Rafael Nadal could not make it to the finals of the Madrid Open this year after a disappointing loss to Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals, but he did make the day for a 95-year-old fan.
Manuela, an ardent Rafael Nadal fan, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. She said to her grandson that she wanted to meet the Spaniard before she forgot "what tennis is" and "what Rafael Nadal means" to her.
✨✨ ¡CONSEGUIDO! ✨✨
Manuela, de 95 años, ha podido cumplir su sueño y se ha hecho una foto con su ídolo Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal). Gracias a @MutuaMadridOpen y enhorabuena a @carripadel22 por esta bella iniciativa en Twitter.
(📷Foto: @MutuaMadridOpen) #TenisEnRTVE https://t.co/xCnTol91xz
After Manuela's grandson Carlos tried to reach out to Nadal on Twitter, the Madrid Open officials got wind of the news and arranged a meet-up between the player and Manuela. Manuela ended up getting a photo taken with the Spaniard and spent some time chatting with him.
#3 Roger Federer texting Belinda Bencic before her Olympics final
The Olympics is arguably the biggest sporting event in the world, and even Grand Slam champions dream of winning an Olympic Gold medal for their country.
So when compatriot Belinda Bencic had the opportunity to win the gold medal this year at Tokyo, Roger Federer made sure he was in her corner with a text message.
Speaking after the game, Bencic relayed this act of support to the reporters, saying:
"Roger Federer texted me in the morning and wrote: Today is a good day to make your dreams come true," Belinda Bencic said in Swiss German."
Belinda Bencic said in Swiss German: «Roger Federer texted me in the morning and wrote: Today is a good day to make your dreams come true.» #Bencic #Federer https://t.co/he6R83SUEG
#2 Roger Federer congratulating Novak Djokovic on winning his 20th Grand Slam
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer may be rivals on the court but they have always maintained a cordial relationship with each other off the court as well.
When the World No.1 won the Wimbledon to equal Federer and Nadal for 20 Grand Slams each, Federer took to Twitter to congratulate the Serbian on the achievement and stated how proud he was to play in the same era as Djokovic:
Congrats Novak on your 20th major. I'm proud to have the opportunity to play in a special era of tennis champions. Wonderful performance, well done!
#1 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's letter to Emma Raducanu
After Emma Raducanu won the US Open title in emphatic fashion, she received a huge surprise -- a letter from Her Majesty the Queen herself.
Raducanu became the first ever qualifier to win the US Open title, and in the process she won the hearts of fans the world over. One of them happened to be Queen Elizabeth II, who sent over her congratulations in a royal letter:
"I send my congratulations to you on your success in winning the United States Open Tennis Championships," the Queen wrote. "It is a remarkable achievement at such a young age, and is testament to your hard work and dedication," she added.
The 18-year old was elated about the fact that the Queen took note of her achievement and expressed her gratitude for being sent a letter.
"It meant everything to get a letter from her Majesty... I can't believe it. I'm maybe going to frame that letter or something," Raducanu said.
“It meant everything to get a message from Her Majesty”
The Queen leads congratulations to Emma Raducanu after the 18-year-old clinched the US Open title with a stunning victory in New York
bbc.in/3A63ozi https://t.co/7PeNNmAxbG