Serena Williams’ hilarious comment about being “booty siblings” with Rafael Nadal has resurfaced in light of the duo’s spectacular reunion. Williams and the Spaniard stole the spotlight during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, playing a special role in the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.
During the final segment of the opening ceremony on Friday, July 26, Nadal received the Olympic torch from French former footballer Zinedine Zidane. He then boarded a boat on the Seine, where he was joined by fellow tennis legend Serena Williams, five-time gold medalist Nadia Comaneci and nine-time gold medalist Carl Lewis.
As they floated down the river, the 22-time Grand Slam champion passed the torch to Williams, and he later handed it off to French Open director Amelie Mauresmo, with the relay culminating in the Olympic cauldron being lit by French track and field star Marie-Josee Perec.
Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams‘ reunion sparked a wave of nostalgia in the tennis community, bringing old memories of their friendship back to light. Williams’ hilarious remark about being “booty siblings” with the Spaniard in 2011 proved particularly popular.
“Me and Nadal are Booty siblings! We see cheek to cheek,” Serena Williams posted.
“Nadal has a big booty… 🙂 lol,” she posted.
“Wow Nadal and his booty is killing it! he’s amazing,” Williams commented further.
Tennis writer Bastian Fachan reshared the 23-time Grand Slam champion’s resurfaced comment alongside a picture of the duo with the Olympic torch.
“I love when this tweet resurfaces,” a fan posted.
Serena Williams named her adorable dog after Rafael Nadal
In addition to playfully establishing her “booty sibling” connection with Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams also celebrated their bond by naming her adorable Yorkshire terrier after the Spaniard, calling him Christopher Chip Rafael Nadal.
During a press conference at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, Williams opened up about her admiration for the 22-time Grand Slam champion and shared the inspiration behind her dog’s name.
“He’s done a lot in 2022. He’s been busy. I’ve always been a Rafa fan. I named my dog after him. He’s so cute. I miss the little guy. So obviously I’m always rooting for Rafa. So yes, he’s been really inspiring in everything that he’s done this year, and he has a lot more to do,” Serena Williams said.
Nadal, meanwhile, does not have a pet and has ruled out the idea of buying a dog for his son Rafa Jr. During a Q&A session at the 2024 Barcelona Open, the Spaniard joked that looking after a toddler is difficult enough without adding a puppy into the mix.
“Uf! Not at the moment. The truth is that he [Rafa Jr.] loves all animals. But not at the moment. It’s tough enough to keep him, if on the top of that, we have to keep a puppy now, I can’t deal with all that,” he said.
The 38-year-old, who is competing in his final Olympics, will take on Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in his opening match, as he commences his quest for his second men’s singles gold medal.
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Edited by Urvi Mehra
