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Rafael Nadal face off against the oldest living tennis player, Leonid Stanislavskyi© Reuters

Rafael Nadal face off against the oldest living tennis player, Leonid Stanislavskyi

The Guinness World Record holder gave us a lesson of passion and determination


Shirley Gomez
Senior Writer
NOVEMBER 29, 2021 11:35 AM EST

Rafael Nadal might be a 20-time Grand Slam champion, but when he faced off against 97-year-old Ukrainian Leonid Stanislavskyi, life experiences surpassed any title. The Guinness World Record holder for the world’s oldest tennis player took on Nadal, giving us a lesson of passion and determination.

“It is an elegant sport. It is good physical exercise, a beautiful game. And there is one more thing about tennis - you can play tennis no matter what age you are,” Stanislavskyi said.

Rafael Nadal face off against the oldest living tennis player, Leonid Stanislavskyi© Reuters
A lesson of passion and determination

“I started playing tennis when I was 30 years old. I am now 97 years old and keep playing. Prominent tennis player Federer is 39 or 40 years old, Djokovic is 33 or 34 years old, and if I am not mistaken, Nadal is also above 30 years old. For professional tennis, it is quite an advanced age. I am an amateur, and I can play at 97 years old,” he added.

According to Mr. Leonid, the friendly match was a dream come true. “My biggest dream is to live a few more years, at least till 100 years. Some people say: ‘Live until 120 years old.’ It would be wonderful if I could live till at least 100, 105, or 110 years old,” he added.

“That’s my biggest dream and I fight for it. My dream is not simply to live up to 100 years old but to remain active and at least be able to play tennis.”
Rafael Nadal face off against the oldest living tennis player, Leonid Stanislavskyi© Reuters

“ I probably won’t be a strong tennis player anymore, but I want to play, even with much strength. I dream of meeting prominent tennis players,” he concluded.

Watch Rafael Nadal facing off against the oldest living tennis player, Leonid Stanislavskyi

World's oldest tennis player takes on Nadal