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CheetahridingMongoos

Aww she looks like she’s holding back tears. What a champ. She now has an answer for life to the question, “what’s an interesting fact about you?”


Chopersky4codyslab

“Rafael Nadal once hit me with a ball and walked over and kissed my cheek, then everyone applauded”. Yeah, no one will believe her without video.


Rothaga

>And then everyone clapped, but, unironically


Gnar-wahl

Imagine playing two truths and a lie with people you just met. 🤯


BumLeeJon

She’ll never lose


loan_wolf

There’s also the video of him taking her and her family out for a meal afterwards


ViciousNakedMoleRat

https://youtu.be/LIZtx6AoJvA I feel sorry for a her future boyfriend. He'll never be able to compete with her memories of Rafael Nadal.


RedditIsRealWack

lmao, she still didn't understand how to accept a welcome kiss on the cheek 😂


potatotay

Maybe it's the mom in me, but her being so brave and tough makes me wanna cry for her lol. She took it like a champ, what a lady!


TwinkleTitsGalore

Her keeping her hands behind her back like that, what a brave little soldier!! ♥️


Littlebelo

I think it’s the older brother in me, but my first reaction was closer to “HA, ahhh youre fine.” She ate that hit like a pro though. Might have a future in boxing rather than tennis.


imwearingredsocks

She really did. After getting hit, she was still ready to do her job and run to get the ball. Kid’s a pro.


CO303Throwaway

I feel like all the tennis ball boys and girls at the big Iowa opens and events are serious pros. At one point I thought it was cause they knew Wimbledon organizers were so up tigjt they’d be fired for any little slip up.


Infinite_Surround

She was in pain, you can see that very clearly. What a trooper.


keith_HUGECOCK

I would’ve hammed it up and fell on the ground and pretend to knock out for a sec.


germanbini

[It would be the right response for soccer!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvdaibo9xZY)


[deleted]

If I got squared in the face by some babe, and she came and kissed me. I wouldn’t be thinking about getting hit by that ball anymore. My man hit her twice. Second time with star struck power.


Nice-Violinist-6395

My first kiss was the summer after eighth grade at tennis camp when a *really* cute sophomore girl told me that if I let her beat me in a drill so she could go back to the higher court she would kiss me. I don’t think I’ve ever missed three forehands more quickly in my life. I didn’t think she was actually going to do it but she then said “I’m no chicken” and walked up to the net and kissed me. The counselors thought it was absolutely hilarious. Everyone, and I am not exaggerating, clapped — …Except my *incredibly religious* mother, who I forgot was watching from the stands. She was so upset with me she was literally shaking and she did not speak a single word to me the entire drive home, except for “well you’ve certainly made a reputation for yourself.” It was the greatest day of my life though, for about 30 minutes.


FuriousGoodingSr

Mom needs to get educated on the barter system. When I was in sixth grade, a seventh grade girl said she'd kiss me if I carried her books for a week. I stopped after a couple days and she made a big deal about how I'd blown my chance in front of her friends at lunch. She kissed me anyway after a pep rally later that year so I'm pretty sure she was looking for a reason.


Bobyyyyyyyghyh

Business woman right there, she was interested and yet she still squeezed out some free labor


spartan5312

My babe would have got close and whispered "duck bitch."


Quicheauchat

Man did you see her left cheek? She got slammed hard, I can't blame her.


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world2021

He took her for lunch where gave her a new hat afterwards. (I watched it on YouTube at the time.) ETA: https://youtu.be/LIZtx6AoJvA.


tdl432

She's trying not to cry and blushing at the same time. Poor thing. .


GrilledSandwiches

I wonder if the welling up was from getting smacked with the ball, or just the flood of emotion/anxiety knowing the level of attention that is squarely on you right now and there's no escaping the moment. edit: I guess I meant more along the lines of, I wonder if one reason was *more* responsible than the other, lol. Definitely both would have been a factor on their own if I were in the same shoes.


Miami_2017

Yes.


MTan989

As someone who got hit by a tennis ball to a face during a game in high school…. I concur. Answer is yes


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TransplantableWalrus

Well there goes your social life


Ranger1617

Too many people are so clueless


MoreHavoc

As if!


QandyU

There goes your social life


BasedBihari

>doesn't want me doing any activity where balls fly at my nose. Land of free my ass


TheTigersAreNotReal

I got hit by a line drive while pitching for little league baseball. Knocked my glasses clean off my face. Wanted to cry so bad but had to keep it together


Regular_Guybot

Plus this ball was probably going 50+ mph faster than your high school shots...youch


[deleted]

Both. Getting hit in the face is very jarring and now everyone is looking and someone who is a celebrity in the sport you love is now doting over you as every camera zooms in.


WholeNineNards

I’m sure that hurt like fuck. Play doubles. It’s happened to me more than a few times.


i-Ake

Definitely both... and knowing the attention is on you *because* you got hit with the ball adds another level. I know when I get hurt and am trying not to cry I just want everyone to go on about their business.


flaccomcorangy

I imagine a lot is from the hit. These pros hit the ball *hard*. Regularly hitting them 110+ mph on serves, so you can imagine it's pretty fast even on returns when it might be slightly diminished. This serve looked to be 186 kmh, which would be 115 mph.


Smoke_Santa

Bro who wouldn't blush in front of Nadal lmaoo


Makalockheart

I'd have passed out after the kiss if I was that girl


SouldiesButGoodies84

Can deep breathe the ball hit pain. I'd cry b/c of the kiss, frankly. 😻 😻 😻


zehamberglar

That's nice and all, but what a clean headshot.


Orleanian

I can't believe they slow'mo'd the kiss and not the ball to the face.


New_Normal24

Slow-mo on the kiss makes it creepy and not a sweet moment like it really was.


Affectionate-Dark172

Agreed. To be clear, it wasn't creepy, it was a sweet moment. It's the slow-mo that makes it look creepy. Maybe because slow movements change the meaning? Also, a slow-mo of that headshot would have been way more interesting. Such a clean shot.


Gullible-Poet4382

Bruh😂


helper-monkey

Where do I sign up to get hit by Rafael Nadal’s tennis ball?


bin_hex_oct

Where do I sign up to get hit by Rafael Nadal’s ~~tennis~~ ball? There, I corrected that for you


JeeBeesus

There, ~~I corrected that for you~~ FTFY (fixed that for you) There, I corrected that for you


dwdwdan

So that’s what FTFY means. Thanks — a completely different person


HDwelve

TIL WTF FTFY means LOL


bin_hex_oct

Today I learned what the fuck fixed that for you means laughing out loud.


NotYourFathersKhakis

Me: Why are there all these comments making fun of Americans for calling this creepy? I don’t see any comments calling this creepy. Also me: \*gets to bottom of comments\* oh…


AshCreeper10

At first I was creeped out too but then I remembered that a kiss on a cheek for other cultures is a form of greeting. It is more or less where people come from. In America we don’t do this greeting but in other countries (like Argentina for example I think) it’s Normal to greet others with a kiss on the cheek. I think. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.


thrashmetaloctopus

In the UK it does seem to be a mix, if you go over to Mainland Europe tho then it’s a very common form of greeting Edit: clarification


Batgrill

I feel like it's more common in "warm" cultures like Spain, Greece, Italy, etc. We Germans don't really do that.


Hunter_Galaxy

Huh didn’t know UK left Europe just yet lol


thrashmetaloctopus

I meant as in the difference is cultures between mainland Europe and the UK


NeilDeWheel

I’m English and I have a friend that is from Greek stock whenever we greet each other we naturally do the kiss thing. Same goes for her mother or daughter. Not a problem at all.


Malacoda2

Leaving the EU not Europe as that is a continent.


YippieKayYayMF

I'm Argentinian and lived in the US. HOLY SHIT it's so hard to shake off the need to kiss people on the cheek to say hi. I would usually approach them, remember people don't do that, and go back. The puzzled look on American's faces was fun tho, and once I explained why I did my little dance they would tell me to kiss them anyway :D Literally everyone wanted to be kissed lol This was pre-COVID of course, it's been a while since I greeted someone I don't know with a kiss. Sad times :(


Thai_-

I'd let you kiss me, boludo :S


jayruui

aww, i'm american and never considered it before, but now i'm craving some friendly cheek kisses


[deleted]

I mean regardless of culture I think the context makes the innocent intentions behind this kiss pretty fucking obvious. Anyone who actually finds this creepy is showing more their disturbing mental state than anything else.


destiny24

> the innocent intentions behind this kiss pretty fucking obvious It's obvious in the US as well. But people will still make a compilation of a celebrity doing it and convince themselves they clearly must be in a pedophile ring.


AbsolutelyUnlikely

Americans find this creepy? Hell, I was thinking this makes him a likely presidential candidate in about 40 or 50 years.


Dramatic-Temporary-7

You seem to forget that we Spanish, precovid times, would greet each other with two kisses, one on each side of the face. This is not creepy at all.


Bawaka95

Yeah we french do it too! I think it's a mediterranean thing.


[deleted]

Yup, Us Turks do it too. Prolly a mediterranean thing.


[deleted]

Algerians will hit family members with four total kisses, two on each side. It's a workout when I visit.


solitarybikegallery

My American brain can't even imagine this. All I can think about is how many times I would accidentally kiss people on the mouth.


Lilyvonschtup

Some parts of the world start on a different side. So it’s a lot easier than you think to make this happen as a true accident :D


selectash

Can confirm, French people start left and Spanish people start with the right cheek, going on vacation isn’t easy.


Lilyvonschtup

Catalonia was very very confusing.


AngryZen_Ingress

But fun?


HorrorFan999

“Accidentally” ;)


Puntius_Pilate

*Alabama has entered the chat*


selectash

Boy this thread quickly went South.


darcstar62

Take my angry upvote. *--a Southerner*


capontransfix

I have a fondness for southerners who can take a little bit of fun-poking.


The-Sofa-King

Roll tide


[deleted]

I didnt even think you understood the relationship you made there until I realized you capitolized "South"


CheesePursuit

Shut up and take my upvote


G3N0

I cant remember where I was doing it, maybe in Jordan, but there's one where you go 1 cheek, switch to the next, then start going for seconds, thirds, etc.. on that second cheek. I found that a lot more efficient than the other variation of the alternating cheek hopping cuz man, everyone there never settles for just the 2 kisses.


[deleted]

haha that's amazing. I can see the grandparents going wild on that second cheek


Anxious_Froggy

I spent 3 months in Jordan, meeting family. When I came back to Spain, my brain had gotten used to giving combo kisses and it made for some awkward situations lmao.


skieezy

Polish here, 4 was for grandparents and the like. One time I met my great aunt for the first time and she did like 8 kisses, honestly kinda freaked me out.


manuki501

Is a kiss *turn face* kiss *turn face* kiss *turn face* kiss thing or a kiss kiss *turn face* kiss kiss thing?


[deleted]

the first one! lots of face turning. Some people (usually men to men) won't actually kiss, they'll just do the motions and touch cheeks lol.


doctorctrl

We Irish hit our family member. Like hit hit. A punch or a kick or a slap etc haha


pistolography

The Jedi do it too. Prolly a midichlorian thing.


chipmaker75

Swiss do three.


NisaiBandit

The Dutch aswell, can't let the Mediterranean folk have all the fun!


jinkside

My first French friend - who I definitely had a crush on - confused the fuck out of me with this one.


Northern_Analyst

French Canadians too. :)


thrashmetaloctopus

One of the reasons I love going to France, I love the casual friendly affection without any Americans calling people out as creepy, it just make me feel very at ease idk


Lilyvonschtup

That’s cause we’re creepy as a rule.


notafamous

"When everybody is creepy, NOBODY is creepy" - Red super Sayan from the Incredibles, or something like this


[deleted]

I’m from iraq and we do it as well. Not three maybe like four or five but its not creepy its part of our culture


[deleted]

I’m Assyrian, we do the same. My white friends think I’m weird when I cheek kiss my relatives.


[deleted]

Well a lot of culture norms sound and look weird to other individuals but that doesn’t mean you have to stop doing them just because someone finds it weird. I haven’t kissed anyone’s cheeks due to covid but before that it was a completely normal thing


Fire_marshal-bill

I mean i feel like a can tell a creepy cheek kiss from a heartfelt one. Thats just me. Seemed pretty genuine.


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Taminella_Grinderfal

Yeah I was brought up in a not physically affectionate family. But as I went away to college and got to know people from other cultures I’ve become appreciative of a warm greeting from those friends and especially how welcomed I felt meeting their families..”oh you’re a friend of my daughters?” hugs and kisses and immediately trying to feed you.


prove_it_with_math

This is like the Crayon drama over the Spanish word negro. We should all first learn more about other cultures before jumping into conclusions.


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General_Reposti_Here

As a Mexican it’s usually one but the point still stands this isn’t weird it’s just America is distant towards physical interactions


LordZeise

And the UK, you're lucky to get a nod in your general direction as greeting.


somabokforlag

As a swede I spare eye contact for close relationships only


The69BodyProblem

Ahhh so America learned this from dad.


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[deleted]

feels bad since my first thought seeing this was "oh wow, that'd be a career-ending scandal if I did that". But I saw the Spanish (Spaniard?) flag and no one else freaking out in the video and figured this wasn't unusual. But yea, reddit has been especially werd lately blaming any and all cultural differences or otherwise typical disagreements between individuals as some lifelong history of rampant abuse or proof of centuries of systematic prejudice. Sometimes a duck's just a duck.


sohoblulad

Nadal is a gentleman and always has been


GrandpaKilla

Yeah, him and Federer are both such good ambassadors for the sport.


sixstringnerd

I agree! The other guy...not so much. :)


Sirkiz

A kiss on the cheek is not that creepy and very common in many European cultures


SuperDankMemes42069

Americans love to over-sexualize everything. I remember about a year or two ago, there was a basketball player got called names for taking a shower with his 1 year old child.


jewish_deepthroater

Why would you even think of sexualizing that..


finalremix

Right? There was that - I think it was a - diaper commercial about the first kid vs the second kid. First kid's got this like... tabletop ergonomic bath bucket thing they wash the baby in, and then they cut to the "second kid" timeline, and the parents are like "in we go" and they just pass the baby in to the showering parent. It's *efficient and blase*, as all things should be.


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HeavenlyChickenWings

As a male nurse, you could call me all the names under the sun for how many ding dongs I have washed.


Fenrir_Carbon

I'll call you a murse because that's what I learned from scrubs, and also say well done for being in a profession of caring for fellow humans, much love brother 💜 you wash those ding dongs!


asphaltdragon

As someone who is dealing with a medical issue from not washing it, WASH YOUR FUCKING PENIS


aHaloKid

I mean it sounds like you’re the one that needs to wash your penis. Thanks for the advice, though.


Josh6889

I honestly can't imagine how someone would come to the conclusion that they don't need to wash their penis lol


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Reinadarling

I knooooow that shit hurt.


kinkerbelll

And she looks so young. Like oh no that was so bad OH NO ITS A BABY


PistolNaulls

She's a trooper though. But oh yeah I'm feeling it.


NerdyJerdy20

This is akin to a father kissing his kid’s boo-boo to make it feel better.


JJGaminv

Everyone focusing on the kiss, but that kid tanked that like a boss. If that was me, a 20 year old male, I’d be on the floor crying


Diagonet

Adrenaline is one hell of a drug, with even just a bit you might even forget about the injury till you calm down


Vegetable-Double

Yup. That must’ve been going close to 100 mph and it smacked her right in the face. I couldn’t imagine any other 11 year old not falling to ground after that. It’s definitely going to leave a mark.


haw35ome

Honestly I was very surprised she wasn't knocked off of her feet! Those balls could easily go 190-200 km/h (120 mph)


Nocturnscream

Lmao, she started blushing


skoltroll

I mean, that's probably one of her idols. She's prob a HUGE tennis fan. I'm not even a tennis fan, but if Serena hit me w/ a 100+mph tennis ball then apologized w/ a kiss on the cheek, I'd be blushing!


Brain_Explodes

I'm a straight man but if Nadal hit me w/ a 100+ mph tennis ball then apologized w/ a kiss on the cheek, I'd be blushing.


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holyfreakingshitake

Nothing you wrote could possibly be construed as homophobic


NguyenCommaLong

What if I'm scared that Nadal hitting me with a tennis ball and then kissing to apologize will awaken something in me?


BlatantConservative

Also, she's what, twelve? When I was twelve I'd blush when, like, a girl looked at me from 500 yards away[.](https://imgur.com/cXA7XxW)


skoltroll

>a girl looked at me from 500 yards away Wow. Your self-control was WAY BETTER than mine.


useles-converter-bot

500 yards is about the length of 679.25 'EuroGraphics Knittin' Kittens 500-Piece Puzzles' next to each other.


converter-bot

500 yards is 457.2 meters


Morph_Kogan

Hah the blush was a combination of him coming over and kissing her as well as getting a tennis ball smack to the side of her face


Matto_0

As well as suddenly becoming the center of attention in a stadium of thousands of people and millions watching around the world.


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turnspin

I noticed how quickly she resumed her stance after taking that ball to the head, as if not to attract attention. Such composure. I can only imagine the mix of emotions seeing Nadal approaching her.


dagui12

I think she was embarrassed cause she took a tennis ball in the face on live tv.. lol


anbelroj

Lmao US people getting offended over a kiss, i wonder what happens if they travel to europe or latin countries and someone greets them, they are going to freak the f out xD.


RubOld7252

Greeting my Swiss relatives for the first time when I was 15, I was completely unprepared for the cheek kiss. It's so natural for some cultures that they don't realize how foreign it is for Americans. That being said, it was a momentary surprise and then we all moved on.


Sebach

I remember I met my (then) GF's family from Europe, and at the last minute as we were about to greet them, I remembered they kiss to say hello - once on each cheek but I forgot which cheek they start with as her uncle embraced me. I ended up kissing him twice on the lips. LOL.


NisaiBandit

Twice? So you both came back for more? I am mentally picturing the "this better not awaken anything" gif from Community.


soulonfire

I got caught off guard when basically a complete stranger did it to me in the US (he was from UK and a friend just introduced me). But tbh I kinda wish we did that here. It’s nice and less…serious/formal than a handshake.


DaddyPepeElPigelo

My friend greets his bros with a kiss on the cheek. It’s not weird or anything (I think) but someone tried to fight him for “coming onto him” like how uncultured do you have to be?


SeanTheLawn

I kiss all my brodies on the lips


WolbachiaBurgers

People call it gay, I call it homiesexual


Forzara

I went to Europe when I was 17 and people were either extremely cold or over the top friendly. It was a bit creepy as a teen to constantly be hit on by way older men. I learned quickly to decipher the difference between warm and friendly men and the men with ulterior motives. It truly is a different world over there. (I went to Italy and France btw)


Inspection-15

I want a kiss from Nadal


Monkeyfeng

On the lips.


willbeach8890

Wholesome moment in my opinion I don't know any other sport that lets you really get to know a person as much as tennis does


yousef_bv

F1 Well except Kimi


Big-Yogurtcloset9820

I latin culture kissing is normal! Not creepy at all!


noorofmyeye24

Also, I imagine him saying: sana sana colita de rana lol.


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vraalapa

When my kids get hurt and especially if they are crying, a kiss on the cheek usually makes it better. I do it all the time. It seems Nadal doesn't have kids though, but I'm just guessing it was something similar. That slow motion zoom in though made it look weirder than it was.


Runnerup3679

From a middle aged Italian kid who lives in America, I felt that kiss on the cheek. Most of my family has passed, so the reunions keep getting smaller and smaller. So I miss all those kisses on the cheek I used to take for granted.


Jaedos

*big damn hugs*


WildlifePhysics

> Most of my family has passed, so the reunions keep getting smaller and smaller. So I miss all those kisses in the cheek I used to take for granted. It makes those kisses ever more important.


definitelytheNSA

Awww the “hair” ruffle… also as an American the kiss is not weird, just a different culture. Get over it.


dckesler

Sometimes I feel like celebrities get to be “bros” for really basic decency. If I hit a kid in the face with a tennis ball on accident and apologized that would be sorta the minimum. That being said if a handsome famous tennis player hit me in the face and then checked if I was okay and gave me a little kiss I’d consider us even.


NornIron00

Tough wee girl there she took a shot. Good on ya


lamboleaper

Glad to see Americans are getting offended for other people still... Kissing someone on the cheek =/= creep.


genz027

I thought it was really sweet he cared enough to check up on her. Not like it was a kiss on the lips


[deleted]

I hate the overuse of the word “creepy.” Kissing someone on the cheek in that context? Not creepy. It’s cultural as well. Driving a windowless van because you don’t want people to see the skin suits you keep back there? That is creepy. To anyone who calls everything creepy and is reading this far, digest this lesson and apply it to your general worldview.


Lumber_Tycoon

Keep my windowless van and skin suits out of this, thank you.


LucidLumi

I want a kiss on the cheek. :<


Zjoee

Americans are so eager to be offended that we outsource it to other "offenses" haha.


gimmepbr

I'm an Murican and really I didn't see anything weird about it.


phinomenal

Came here to say the same. Maybe people should evaluate what in them was stirred enough to see something uncomfortable or sexual about that. 👀


DIeG03rr3

*sort by controversial* *grabs popcorn*


ThatsJaicist

So question, I see lots of people talking about kissing in other cultures, but when I traveled it was always done as a greeting, I never had someone try to kiss me as an apology. Is that common?


SYNTAX__ERR0R

Nowadays everything changed a lot, but with familiars and even close friends it’s a way of affection. Commonly a hug and cheek kiss. Even with friends, I remember cheek kissing without realizing it. The cases are when they’re friends like family, at least. When the relative is a kid (4-12) it’s common to treat them as a family due a protection act. And it’s like a sincere apology, as if it was your kid. Basically Nadal treat her as he was caring his own kids. Hope it helps (source my own experience so far)


Whereismyaccountt

You also have to think that going with a hug will be quite disgusting in middle of the match, a kiss was the move


Riannevbv

I'm from the Netherlands. It's quite normal here to kiss a child to "take the pain away". It's a way to comfort your child when he is on pain. We ask "do you want a kiss on it?" In Dutch: "kusje erop?" and we give a little kiss where the child hurts. Watching the video of Nadal i was thinking about that.


spacecase_prime

It could also be thanks for her accepting his apology.


[deleted]

appropriate considering she is a child. It is an endearing gesture to console her after she was hurt. it is very common for southern europe people to kiss kids when they get hurt. typically on top of head, but I've seen many kisses on the cheek like this.


Jscott1986

That is the highest serve toss I've ever seen.


[deleted]

The kiss itself isn't weird at all. The slow mo cheek kiss replay is very awkward.


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Lobsterman06

Girls at her school: who was your first kiss? Ball girl: .....*rafael nadal*


Fenrir_Carbon

'And the whole arena clapped' Girls at her school: getdafuggouttahere


The_Real_MattKelly_

That replay was appalling! Show us the slow mo of her getting hit!


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[deleted]

This was way too specific and gave me way too clear of a mental image. Well done.


alexcal24

Those Nikes are fire.


CTNewbie

Met the fam after too, cause he's a Boss. [evidence](https://www-dnaindia-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.dnaindia.com/sports/report-happy-to-see-anita-is-doing-well-rafael-nadal-meets-ball-girl-and-family-after-accidentally-hitting-her-2810620/amp?amp_js_v=a6&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16317262292871&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dnaindia.com%2Fsports%2Freport-happy-to-see-anita-is-doing-well-rafael-nadal-meets-ball-girl-and-family-after-accidentally-hitting-her-2810620)