During Rafael Nadal’s 2020 Australian Open match against Federico Delbonis, a wayward return hit ball girl Anita Birchall in the head. Nadal went over to check on her, and later kissed her cheek. Anita said she was touched by his kindness; her mother called the kiss “absolutely innocent and a lovely gesture.”
What happened to Anita during Nadal’s match?
On January 23, 2020, Nadal’s return struck Birchall, who was positioned near the umpire’s chair, during his second-round match against Delbonis in Melbourne. The shot was accidental. Nadal promptly went to check on her.
Nadal later said he had been scared for her and praised her bravery. Sporting News quoted him after the match: “I was so scared for her honestly, the ball was quick and straight onto her. She’s a super brave girl.” He went on to beat Delbonis 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1. Sporting News reported the match and his remarks.
Why did Anita and her mother call the kiss a lovely gesture?
In an interview with 7NEWS reported by PerthNow on January 24, Birchall described the experience as “quite amazing” and said, “I was very touched by his kindness.” Her mother, Olga Birchall, said Nadal’s response was “very sweet” and described the kiss as “absolutely innocent and a lovely gesture that we both appreciated.” Those are the family’s descriptions of the moment.
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Olga said Nadal lifted Anita’s hat to check that she was all right before giving her a kiss. Anita also recalled how quickly the incident made her recognizable: “One night I was just going to bed and the next morning suddenly everyone knows me,” she said. PerthNow’s report contains the family’s remarks: PerthNow, January 24, 2020.
What happened after the match?
After training the following day, Nadal visited Anita and her family at Melbourne Park and gave her a signed Rafa Nadal Academy cap, according to AS’s January 24 report. The ATP Tour’s later retrospective also says he gave Anita his headband after the match and records the family visit and signed cap. The ATP Tour published that retrospective on November 18, 2024.
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Was Anita injured?
The ATP Tour’s 2024 retrospective says Anita was not hurt. The available accounts do not provide a medical diagnosis or further clinical detail, so “injured” in some headlines should not be taken to mean that a lasting or medically diagnosed injury was established.
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