WATCH: ‘Booty Twins’ Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal take center stage at the Paris Olympics torch rally; Fans react 

Rafael Nadal kicked off his 2024 Olympics by carrying the torch and passing it along to Serena Williams.

WATCH: ‘Booty Twins’ Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal take center stage at the Paris Olympics torch rally; Fans react 

Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal, U.S. athlete Carl Lewis, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci and U.S. tennis player Serena Williams travel on a boat on the river Seine during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (Via Imago)

The 2024 Paris Olympics kicked off with a spectacular opening ceremony last night, featuring over 10,000 athletes. Following the ceremony, the torch relay commenced with an interesting twist this year: some non-French athletes were also given the honor of carrying the torch.

Usually, the home athletes get the privilege to carry the torch for the Olympics. It even started that way as the French athletes began the torch-bearing from the river Seine, that went on to a place near the Eiffel Tower. The passing went on and it landed in the hands of former French soccer player Zinedine Zidane. 

YouTube video

The soccer legend then passed it to someone unexpected. He handed the torch to 14-time French Open singles winner Rafael Nadal. Even though he is not a Frenchman, but was given the torch. The Spanish great hthen went on a boat and passed it to another tennis great Serena Williams. 

FS Video

It was an incredible opportunity for the tennis stars as they participated in the prestigious torch-bearing ceremony. Both athletes proudly held the torch high while on a moving boat. Despite the rain and the boat’s speed, they made a significant contribution to the Olympics, leaving fans in awe.

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Serena Williams arrives on the red carpet before the Opening Ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games along the Seine River

Fans react as Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams unexpectedly feature in the torch-bearing ceremony

Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams participated in the prestigious torch-bearing ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics, but their involvement received mixed reactions from viewers.

Zinedine Zidane and Rafael Nadal
Zinedine Zidane and Rafael Nadal (Via Imago)

While a bunch of them were pleased to witness a player synonymous with the French Open get the privilege of holding the torch, many were not pleased with this. They did not hold back their displeasure and vented it out online with comments on the two tennis legends. 

Some French athletes were not featured in the torch-bearing ceremony, leading fans to expect them instead of Nadal and Williams. Nevertheless, the Olympics have officially begun, and the matches start today, July 27th. Here are a few of the mixed comments from the fans:

Despite Nadal’s possible discomfort, he is still expected to compete in both singles and doubles. The Spaniard even had a practice session with Carlos Alcaraz with a band on his right thigh. His singles participation may be in danger, but Nadal mostly will play doubles and hopes to win a medal in his last Olympics outing. 

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