The king of clay will shoulder a cool new accomplice on court.
Rafael Nadal unveiled his new Babolat racquet bag, which features inspiration from fans close to his heart.
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Children from the Rafa Nadal Foundation made the drawings inspired by their patron and tennis hero. Babolat embedded the kids' drawings on the black-and-purple bag, and Kia, Nadal's long-time car sponsor, provided financial support in a collaborative creation process.
"I have some good news because the kids from my foundation, all around, they designed this amazing bag," Nadal said. "I'm super-proud of all of them. And Babolat built it and Kia supported it. It's something that makes me feel very happy."
Notice purple is a primary color for Nadal this season.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion wore purple and pink saving championship point to out-duel Stefanos Tsitsipas and capture a record-extending 12th Barcelona title on Sunday.
Last month, the brand launched the Babolat Pure Aero Rafa, Nadal’s very first signature racquet, and its matching bag.
The Pure Aero Rafa racquet was developed in collaboration with the 13-time Roland Garros champion by Babolat, which has been supplying him with equipment since the start of his tennis career. Its exclusive new graphic design matches the player’s personality and distinctive gameplay. Nadal chose a combination of explosive colors with dominant tones of yellow, purple and orange. The name of the player, RAFA, in capitals, and the model, Pure Aero, stand out in purple letters on the throat.
"I like powerful, bright colors, and I like this racquet, it’s definitely me," Nadal said. "We worked with Babolat to make it happen. And I’m really pleased with it. It’s important to feel good on court. I really hope players enjoy it.”
And since there’s only one Rafa, he’s also the only professional player on the circuit to use the racquet, giving fans a unique opportunity to feel even closer to their favorite champion.
The specs of the Pure Aero Rafa are the same as the regular Pure Aero.
Photo credit: Babolat