In football, switching jerseys is customary and has been done for nearly a century. It allows rivals to respect one another while retaining a unique keepsake from a particular match.
This custom has become popular in a variety of sports, including basketball, the NFL, and others. Pedro Cachin of Argentina may have just begun the tennis trend this week in Madrid.
It wasn’t exactly a jersey exchange, but Cachin showed his respect for the 22-time major champion from Spain and made an unexpected request after he was defeated by Rafael Nadal in a taxing three-hour encounter on Monday at the Caja Magica.
“You’ve realized a dream of mine. Is it okay if I take your clothing or something else? As they shook hands at the net, Cachin questioned Nadal.
Subsequently, Nadal proceeded to his bench to retrieve an old match shirt and presented it to Cachin.
Cachin understood how special it was to be drawn against the Spaniard for the first time, and in a goosebump-inducing atmosphere no less, as the raucous home crowd on Manolo Santana Stadium rallied behind their greatest ever champion. Nadal resumed his farewell tour this spring in what is likely the last season of his professional career.
Many players have commented on the lovely moment and kind gesture that swept the tour—as well as social media—during the last few days here in Madrid.
Iga Swiatek, the world number one for women, stated, “I would definitely ask for a T-shirt if I were to play against Rafa.”
Daniil Medvedev, ranked third, considered Cachin’s request to be “classy,” and he might encourage others to start collecting shirts from their rivals.
Pedro said something amusing there. It was a sophisticated maneuver, in my opinion, and not something we see in tennis. I don’t believe I ever did,” Medvedev remarked.
“I believe I was asked once; it was during a Grand Slam. It was either the US Open or the Australian Open, I guess, and it was humid. I don’t think I handed it to him because I had like five T-shirts. I said, “Look, after the tournament, ask me, and I’ll do it no problem.”
“I never would have desired to hear from just one individual. If I were to start doing it, I would begin by gathering five, ten, and so on. I don’t enjoy doing things alone with people. So if it became popular, I would gather a lot of them.
Ons Jabeur, a Tunisian, agrees with the concept and expressed her want to showcase rival teams’ uniforms at her own academy in the future.
“I think it was a very sweet thing to have, but I think it’s because he’s Argentinian and he’s into football, and that’s what they do in football,” Jabeur remarked of Cachin.
“However, from now on, I might ask each player for their T-shirt. I believe that racquets, not T-shirts, are the most prevalent item in tennis. However, I would eventually like to have a memento of the players I adore and respect, perhaps for my academy to preserve forever.
Many players would like to have a memento from a particular game, but they haven’t often given it much thought.
There aren’t many chances to individually remember a tennis match aside from the traditional pre-match picture shot near the net.
Horacio Zeballos of Argentina once snapped a selfie with Novak Djokovic following his defeat by the Serb in a Doha match. A few months later, he did the same with Rafael Nadal in Barcelona.
“The photo is preferable to stealing anything from them. I don’t want to say something along the lines of, “Give me one T-shirt.” I can thus remember them for the rest of my life with a picture,” Zeballos said to ATP Uncovered.
Madison Keys, a former finalist at the US Open, expressed her desire to create a unique method to remember a 2015 match she played against Serena Williams in New York.
“There have been times when I was like, ‘Wow, I wish I could bottle this moment so I could revisit it,'” Keys said. “I don’t know if I have ever wanted to take, like, a souvenir.”
“I believe there is one instance that truly sticks out in my memory, which was the Labor Day Weekend match I played Serena at [Arthur] Ashe [Stadium]. It was a crowded house, and it was the year she was aiming for a four-peat [grand slam]. That means that everyone was present.
“Honestly, being able to leave was the coolest experience. Of course, I lost, which was unfortunate, but even so, I believe that particular moment will always rank among my all-time best tennis moments.
At the US Open, Williams wore a coral pink tie-dye outfit; I’m sure Keys would have loved to have that, or at least the yellow bandana that went with it, hanging in her closet?
Not everyone agreed with Cachin’s decision. The Mallorcan’s final outing on the ATP Tour in Madrid came on Tuesday when Jiri Lehecka defeated Rafael Nadal in the fourth round. Lehecka stated he had no intention of asking for a jersey.
The Czech No. 30 seed remarked, “It’s difficult for me to say because I went on the court to win, you know?”
Then, I find it difficult to chase after him and beg him for something. The last thing I want to say is to come across as disrespectful, but if you are playing a match and you are considering asking the person for something, then why are you there? I think that’s kind of odd.
Contrary to the pundit’s assertion, Nick Kyrgios disagrees and said on X, “NBA players, soccer players do it all the time? Less than 1% of people get to experience this recollection, which required a lifetime of study.
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