A Babolat racquet used by Rafael Nadal in the 2017 French Open final has sold for a record-breaking USD 157,333.20 (Rs 49.12 lakh) at a Prestige Memorabilia auction, including the buyer’s premium. This is now the most ever paid for a tennis racquet.
The previous record belonged to another Nadal racquet — one he used during the 2022 Australian Open, where he secured his final Grand Slam title by beating Daniil Medvedev in a five-set classic. That racquet sold for $139,700 at Sotheby’s in 2023.
In 2017, Nadal defeated Stan Wawrinka in straight sets — 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 — to win his record-extending 10th French Open title. He didn’t drop a single set throughout the tournament and would go on to win four more titles at Roland Garros, taking his total to 14 — no other man has won more than eight.
The 2017 French Open racquet has been photomatched by Resolution Photomatching to 24 matches from Nadal’s 2017 season. This includes the Madrid Open final, the Miami Open final, and likely the Australian Open final, where Nadal lost to Roger Federer.
“To find a Grand Slam Final-used racket from Rafael Nadal is rare,” reads the Prestige Memorabilia lot description. “To find one photomatched across an entire clay season (and more) — capped by a French Open title — is unprecedented.”
The custom-made racquet carries Nadal’s ‘Rafa’ emblem on the throat and a stringing sticker from the 2017 French Open that reads: “RG 2017 Nadal.”
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com