Rafael Nadal racket from his 2007 French Open final triumph against Roger Federer sold for more than $118,000 at an auction on Monday, making it one of the most expensive pieces of tennis memorabilia.
Nadal defeated Federer 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4 in the 2007 Paris final to earn his third Grand Slam title, and the Spaniard went on to win 19 more, 14 of them at Roland Garros, to become one of the sport’s best players.
The racket, which Rafael Nadal has previously used in tournament matches, including his semifinal victory over Novak Djokovic, went for $118,206 at an online auction called Prestige Memorabilia’s The Tennis Auction, which ended on Monday. It was once housed in the Australian Tennis Museum, which recently closed. Also read: Jannik Sinner Withdraws From ATP 250 Event in France
The previous biggest individual tennis racket auction sales were Nadal’s 2022 Australian Open racket ($139,700), Billie Jean King’s “Battle of the Sexes” racket ($125,000), and Djokovic’s 2016 French Open racket ($107,482).
Nadal missed the Australian Open this month after tearing a minor muscle during his return from a lengthy injury layoff at the Brisbane International earlier in January. The 37-year-old is slated to return to the court in February for the ATP 250 tournament in Doha. Also read: Wimbledon’s Grand Vision: A New Stadium and 38 Courts