Kirsten Flipkens chats: Had a short relationship with Rafael Nadal
In an interview, Kirsten Flipkens remembered her youth days and beginnings on the way to becoming a professional tennis player. The Belgian also chatted that she was briefly in a relationship with Rafael Nadal.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: May 10, 2020, 05:24 pm
"Yes, that's right. When I was fourteen, I had something with Rafael Nadal," said the now 34-year-old on the De Container Cup TV show. "We are the same age and grew up together."
"Flipper" was born like Nadal in 1986, so the two spent many years together on the junior tour. "Nadal didn't speak any English at the time. We couldn't go further than hand in hand and we couldn't get a kiss," said Flipkens. The language barrier was ultimately the reason why the two did not become a serious couple.
Flipkens is currently 77th in the WTA world rankings. In the 2012 season, she won her only WTA tournament in Quebec so far, and she was in a final three more times. In 2013 she moved to the semi-finals in Wimbledon. In August 2013 she was ranked 13th, her best career ranking so far. In doubles, she won five titles, three of them with the now retired Swede Johanna Larsson.