by Susan Seemiller
Bob Larson's Tennis Celebs
January 21, 2025

Dominik Hrbaty lifted the trophy at the Heineken Open in Auckland, New Zealand last week, but his finals opponent, 17-year-old Rafael Nadal of Spain, may have emerged the real winner. He came to the tournament as an unknown, but left as the clear fan favorite.

Sporting a red sleeveless "muscle" shirt and silver shoes, the young man from Spain easily downed two top 20 players, Sjeng Schalken and Jiri Novak, on his way to the final. New Zealand fans took note, visiting his website, vamosrafael.com, to learn more about the teen. The hits on the site more than quadrupled during the week.

Young fans expressed their enthusiasm for Nadal. One New Zealand fan, Jessica, gushed, "I love Rafael and I think he is the hottest guy ever! I saw him play the final of the Auckland Open and he always kept trying; he never gave up. He is so fun to watch and gives 100% to every point."

Another fan, Aree, posted: "This dude can definitely play tennis and it was totally wicked to watch him reach the final here in Auckland. . . . I know he took the hearts of all who were watching!"

As shown on TV, three other fans painted RA-FA-EL on their stomachs to show their support during the match.

Nadal acknowledges his take-no-prisoners attitude on court. "I play every shot like my life depends on it," he said, "No matter what the situation, the best you can do is fight for every point. It is very important to believe in yourself." No doubt, he will be bringing that attitude to Melbourne.