Tennis fans in Zambia got an unexpected treat when Wimbledon champ Rafael Nadal turned up to do some sightseeing.
Rafael Nadal thrilled Spanish tourists at a five-star resort near Zambia’s iconic Victoria Falls, with the tennis-and-football fans breaking into cheers and mobbing for autographs as the two-time Wimbledon champion made a sightseeing swing prior to the football World Cup final in Johannesburg.
Local media reported that Nadal, who skipped Spain’s Davis Cup (losing) tie at the weekend in France, was surrounded by a happy group of his co-nationals at the Royal Livingston hotel, a five-star resort where suites go for $2700 per night.
Nadal took a trip to Livingstone on his way to Johannesburg for the final between Spain and the Netherlands at Soccer City.
Just like in post-match scenes, Nadal posed for photos with the masses, before making his excuses and hurrying off on a touristic jaunt. “I’m rushing for a helicopter flight,” said Nadal, who only decided at the last minute to fly 11 hours this week from Mallorca for the final after Spain qualified.
Local media said that Nadal took the sightseeing chopper ride and later visited the falls on foot before going on a boat cruise on the Africa Queen.
[TennisTalk]
very interesting indeed, i was one of the few that shook this “great`s” hand!
Wow that is lovely.I heard that the same happened to Arnold Schwarzenegger it was like “swaz,swazi swazi swazi”.:-?
welcome nadal im happy in your passport you have a zambian stamp. you came to zambia bcos our country is peaceful and the economy stable. im sure if balya njikwite were ruling zambia, nadal, glazers would have been too scared to visit. anttime nadal you free to come tell federer, roddick, sharapova, serena, venus, djokovic. dementieva, to come see the beauty of zambia
well done zed, wapya munzi ku vipuba vee pact
Intersting that Nadal came and the the Spanish fans had to come and mob him from Zambia. I can just imagine the scene. (Luckily Mpombo was not there to fall into the swimming pool as he could have rushed with the mob! – JUST JOCKING)
All this is good publicity for the country. A couple of years ago these people would have gone to Zim. So it seems that we also managed to get some of the world cup money. Now the way some people describe the country, you would think it is like Beirut in the 80s or Mogadishu today.
Imagine if Zambia had taken advantage of the 2010 World Cup in SA and how much publicity and revenue we would have got from this World cup on African soil
chaashupa fye..
#3 and 4, you must be well meaning gentlemen, but are some of the thingz you have said really necessary?
Tenis, that game exists in Zambia?
Rafael Nadal is my hero.am glad he visited my country,i hope i was there to shake his hand..at 24 yrs old he has already won 8 grand slam titles on 3 different surfaces,18 masters 1000 shields,an olympic gold medal,2 davis cup titles..incredible
Some of you guys here are boring. Is it any happening that should be politicized? Does Nadal even know or even give it a damn about which party is ruling or which parties are the opposition?
If l had a choice l would have traded my graduate studies for sports!!
#12, same with me!!!
It would have made more sense if it was Serena her title and her motherland booty :)
Thank you Rafael Nadal for visiting my country, please come back in the near future, if possible bring a lot of your friends along.
@ #6 “Now the way some people describe the country, you would think it is like Beirut in the 80s or Mogadishu today”
It is. If any, worse than Tora Bora. Zambian cities are such an eyesore :o
I love federer!
Master of the clay surface, it was indeed great to have you around Rafael.
ohhhhhh what I would give to meet Nadal. As for Zambian cities being eyesores not sure. All I know is that for me it is the most lovely place on earth dust and all