American actor Ben Stiller spoke to Jimmy Fallon about the gloriously tragic ordeal on Monday night, recounting the time in 2013 when Rafael Nadal was playing Juan Martin del Potro when they stopped the match to recruit members of the crowd to join them.
“About halfway through the match, Nadal stops and he goes, ‘Wait, should we make it doubles?’” he shared. “He pulls me out of the crowd, which is…a dream come true to be in Madison Square Garden and people start cheering, and also, it’s this nightmare that’s happening simultaneously. Because I realize I really don’t play tennis.
“Immediately I just died inside because I knew there was no way to get out of this thing alive, because if I hit a winner on the eight-year-old girl everybody hates me. And I don’t have enough skill to hold it back because I’m just all or nothing.
“So Nadal serves it, the eight-year-old-girl hits it back perfectly across, the crowd cheers! Comes to me? Boom, right into the net. Immediately, just like all of Madison Square Garden: ‘Uggghhhhhh.’
“Del Potro puts the girl on his shoulders and they’re cheering and she walks off. I didn’t make eye contact with Nadal, my wife, anybody.”
Ben stiller is a big tennis fan and good actor
Great win against the new world #1 Medvedev!
Rafa was amazing. The champ stood STRONG!
Good luck against Daniil tonight. Vamos Rafa
That was such fun and only fun. Ben is a big Rafa supporter.
To night ? Rafa is a 5 set genius. I’d love him to win but not too concerned if he doesn’t. All support to the best guy in tennis.
The situation in Ukraine is terrifying. Innocent people being killed by an evil man, people trying to free their homeland in the height of winter. ” when will we ever learn”
I remember that event. It was so much fun to watch. Rafa and Delpo are loved all over the world. Ben Stiller is a great talent and really good sport to be upstaged by that charming young girl. Glad Ben decided to take tennis lessons after that!
Stiller is often at Rafa’s matches. All the best tonite-Med always seems a bit quirky in attitude, arrogant in his comments.💪👏🤛👍🍀🎾❤️
Medvedev is arrogance personified. I don’t like him as a positive role model and also don’t like his attitude. I completely appreciate that he’s a great player but the way he demeans ball kids, umpires, line judges and especially fans. It’s really pathetic and totally uncalled for.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s funny to watch (for all the wrong reasons) but what of the genuinely nice people who end up at the wrong end of his complete superiority complex? It seems to me that he honestly believes that he’s the most intelligent and gifted person in a stadium that holds 10s of thousands of people.
Quite sad really.
In saying that. Med has something about him that makes him stand out. For that, I like to watch him play and his press conferences are always a good laugh.
But…..
Rafa, please beat him in two. Please, please, please please.
Very well worded…even I find medvadev very weird n arrogant at times….Whenever he losses he shows his frustration on everyone nd I find him very disrespectful to all
Ha. Nice one.
No pressure but GO RAAAAFFFAAAAA!
All the best for tonight. Vamos Rafa❤️
2013 is unforgettable…Rafa came back from an injury after seven months and achieved one of the greatest seasons in his career. He won 10 titles, mind boggling!!!
Good luck against D. Medvedev tonight🍀❤️
Vamos💪💪💪
That’s so funny 😂😂 Love Ben Stiller and the fact the he’s a big Rafa fan.