Isha Sesay
MALLORCA-born tennis star Rafael Nadal has raised over €20,000 in the fight against coronavirus.
The world number two donated one of his prized match winning shirts, worn at the prestigious Roland Garros tournament in France last year.
The donation formed part of the #LaMejorAsistencia, or The Best Assistance auction to raise much needed funds for the Spanish Red Cross.
Organised by Liga ACB, Spain’s premier basketball division, Nadal’s shirt proved to be a big seller, bringing in a whopping €20,500.
Before the auction opened, Nadal shared a video to his social media account, revealing that he would be donating a ‘precious object.’
He said: “I wanted to donate the shirt with which I won Roland Garros in 2019.
“Obviously, I do not know if it is the one I ended the match with, but one with which I played on the day of the final.
“It is a shirt that has great meaning for me, I hope you value it and the auction raises as much money as possible for all these people who are suffering so much and need all of our support.”
Basketball player Juan Carlos Navarro also auctioned off the shirt he wore in his last international match, which brought in €6,200.
Match shoes signed by the late Kobe Bryant also raised €6,100, with Endesa, the sponsors of the top Spanish basketball league, donating €15,000.
Last month, Nadal kickstarted the ‘Red Cross Responds’ campaign which aims to raise €11 million among Spanish athletes.
The funds will be used to support hospitals throughout Spain in addition to the most vulnerable groups.
Nadal is known for being particularly charitable, previously donating €1 million to help flood victims in Mallorca in 2018.
The sporting hero also opened the doors of his tennis academy in Manacor to residents after the devastating rains caused catastrophic damage on the island.
Mallorca resident Keith Sneddon, who has met Nadal on several occasions, described him as a ‘great guy which he demonstrated when the floods hit Mallorca.’
He said: “Anytime I’ve met him he’s always courteous and has time to chat.”
