7 months ago
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Dan HajduckyJun 9, 2025, 10:20 AM ET
- Dan Hajducky is simply a unit writer for ESPN. He has an MFA successful originative penning from Fairfield University and played connected the men's shot teams astatine Fordham and Southern Connecticut State universities.
A Babolat racket utilized by Rafael Nadal during his 2017 French Open-winning last was sold astatine a Prestige Memorabilia auction for $157,333.20 including buyer's premium connected Sunday, the astir ever paid for a tennis racket.
The erstwhile grounds was a racket Nadal utilized during the 2022 Australian Open -- his last Grand Slam rubric erstwhile helium defeated Daniil Medvedev -- which sold for $139,700 astatine Sotheby's successful 2023.
In 2017, Nadal defeated Stan Wawrinka successful consecutive sets, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1, for his record-extending 10th French Open title. He didn't driblet a acceptable each tourney and would spell connected to triumph 4 much titles astatine Roland Garros -- nary different antheral successful tennis has won much than eight.
Nadal's 2017 French Open racket was matched by solution photomatching to 24 antithetic matches crossed Nadal's 2017 season, including the Madrid Open final, the Miami Open last and apt the 2017 Australian Open final, the past 2 of which Nadal mislaid to Roger Federer.
"To find a Grand Slam Final-used racket from Rafael Nadal is rare," reads the Prestige Memorabilia batch description. "To find 1 photomatched crossed an full clay play (and more) -- capped by a French Open rubric -- is unprecedented."
The custom-made racket includes his "Rafa" emblem connected the pharynx and a stringing sticker from the 2017 French Open that reads "RG 2017 Nadal."
