"Let's not get crazy, it's not like asking him to go on a date": When Maria Sharapova addressed 'popping the question' to Rafael Nadal at Italian Open

Maria Sharapova once shared a hilarious response when asked about 'popping the question' to Rafael Nadal for a practice session at the 2018 Italian Open. She also couldn't contain her delight at getting the opportunity to hit with the Spaniard on clay.

Sharapova kicked off her campaign at the WTA 1000 event with a hard-fought 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Ashleigh Barty. However, it was her practice session with Nadal before her opening match that garnered the media's interest.

In her post-match press conference, Maria Sharapova revealed how her impromptu practice session with Rafael Nadal came about. After spotting the Spaniard training before her, she asked her for her team's input on whether she should go up to the Spaniard and ask him to hit with her.

Although her team encouraged her to approach Nadal, the Russian hilariously opened up about her apprehensions regarding the same.

"Well, I saw he was practicing on the court right before me. And I said to my team, I was like, Wouldn't it be amazing if I just came up to Rafa and said, Would you hit a couple balls with me?" she said.

"And they're like, Yeah, what's wrong with that? And I was like, a lot of things. There's a lot of things wrong with just coming up to Rafa, (laughing)," she added.

The Russian disclosed that she eventually gave in to her coaching team's encouragement, joking that Nadal likely thought she was very "weird" even though he agreed to practice with her.

"They're like, no, you should. I was like, really? You think I should? And so I did. And he was, like, yeah. He probably thought I was really weird. I think he still thinks I'm really weird (laughing)," she said.

When a journalist asked how she knew it was the right moment to 'pop the question,' Sharapova playfully urged the media not to get "crazy" with their interpretations and remarked that her request wasn't comparable to asking the Spaniard out on a date.

The Russian also emphasized that getting the opportunity to practice with the 'King of Clay' on his preferred surface was an item she could check off her bucket list.

"I was like -- Okay. Let's not get crazy. Actually, that's what they said. It's not like you're asking him to go on a date. You're just asking him to hit a couple of balls with you (laughing)," she said.

"I was like, Listen, you gotta hit a couple balls with Rafa on clay, you know. It's like a check on the bucket list, definitely. Yeah. I was so nervous. I was tight, really tight," she added.

---

How Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova fared at the 2018 Italian Open

Rafael Nadal won the 2018 Italian Open

Rafael Nadal entered the 2018 Italian Open as the top seed, claiming a dominant 6-0, 6-1 win over Damir Dzumhur in his opening match. He then beat Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 6-1 and triumphed over Fabio Fognini 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 to reach the semifinals of the ATP Masters 1000 event.

The Spaniard secured a commanding 7-6(4), 6-3 victory over Novak Djokovic to set up a blockbuster title clash with defending champion Alexander Zverev, beating him 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 to clinch his eighth Italian Open title.

Maria Sharapova, meanwhile, triumphed over Dominika Cibulkova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 following her win over Ashleigh Barty. She claimed a 6-3, 6-4 win over Daria Saville and edged past Jelena Ostapenko 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-5 to reach the semifinals.

Subsequently, eventual runner-up Simona Halep ended the Russian's run, winning 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 to book her place in the final.