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Known as the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal has always said he wanted to try to master the other surfaces as well. But even the world No 2 would have found the new surface he played on challenging - water.
Nadal and women's world No 8 Serena Williams took to a custom-made court earlier this week, completing a seemingly impossible task more befitting a miracle than to a modern-day tennis tournament.
The event, to mark the Sony Ericsson Open which started yesterday, took place atop Miami's new Gansevoort South Hotel, overlooking South Beach, on its first day of business.
The water-covered court was constructed in the 30m swimming pool set in the Gansevoort's exclusive 2,043 sq m roof-top retreat.
It took seven days to build. A specialist underwater team constructed two invisible platforms at either end of the pool for the players to stand and play using a combination of bespoke acrylic sheets and supporting acrylic tubes that were bonded together.
The pool was then filled with water, before adding the finishing touches of a net and ball girls and boys.
The Sony Ericsson Open features the leading players from the men and women's tours.
Defending champion Williams said: 'It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play tennis on water and it was great to be involved in a true world first.'
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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