Tennis

Rafael Nadal posted a video on his Instagram account, announcing his retirement. There were signs of this dreaded announcement, or how tennis fans would put it, after he hinted that the 2024 ATP Tour would be his final season.

And then he pulled out of the recent Laver Cup. It came after Andy Murray bid farewell to the tour, again, after the Paris Olympics. Another tennis veteran is about to hang up his tennis racquet, but we’ll tell you more about that a little later. 

Nadal’s exceptional career was plagued by injuries, so it was remarkable of him to fight through these injuries. That he managed to play until his late 30s was a testament to his greatness.

It would be pointless to resume the Greatest Player Of All Time (G.O.A.T.) debate, as this moment should be the perfect time to look back at his career. What were his ten greatest wins? 

We disagreed with one sports writer who focused on Nadal’s achievements in the clay courts. There was no doubt that many fans would remember Nadal for his triumphs in Roland Garros, the venue of the French Open, but he was a versatile, all-court player like Roger Federer.

And we just don’t mean someone who thrives on the baseline and the net; Nadal, along with Andre Agassi and Novak Djokovic, are the only players to win the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon Championships, US Open, and the Olympic gold medal during the course of their careers. Aside from enumerating his greatest victories in the tour, we would add a twist.

What could’ve happened if the match was suspended? A retractable roof was installed in Wimbledon’s Centre Court in 2009. The summer heat might’ve been more oppressive. A weather disturbance in the East Coast. The list goes on, but you get our drift.

Here’s our Top 10 Rafael Nadal's Iconic Wins: 

2004 NASDAQ-100 Open | 2004 Miami Masters

Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer in the third round (6-3, 6-3)

The third round of the 2004 Miami Masters marked the first meeting between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. 

Federer was the top-ranked player, and was leading the ATP Tour with three titles while Nadal was ranked 34th in the ATP rankings. But Nadal was making his move. The match lasted 70 minutes, ending in Nadal’s favor.

The Swiss Maestro admitted that he was impressed at what he saw while Rafa downplayed his performance. The Spaniard lost to Chile’s Fernando González in the fourth round.

Would Nadal’s career change if Federer won that match? No. Rafa was arguably the best left-handed player in the tour, and the spectators at Tennis Center at Crandon Park saw glimpses of it. They didn’t foresee a budding rivalry, though. . 

2005 French Open

Rafael Nadal defeated Mariano Puerta in the men’s finals (6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 7-5)

The first Grand Slam title is always special to tennis players, and Nadal’s first French Open title couldn’t be sweeter. Nadal was the second male teenage player to win a major crown after Peter Sampras won the 1990 US Open. The native of Mallorca was also the second player to win the French Open on his first attempt. (Mats Wilander first achieved the feat in 1982.) 

Nadal defeated Federer in the semifinals (in four sets) and then outlasting Argentina’s Mariano Puerto (in four sets as well). Would a Puerto victory affect the results of the ATP Tour during the next few years? Definitely not.

Nadal was on a winning match streak, surpassing Agassi’s record. An injury was the only thing to stop him, which didn’t happen. Yet. 

2008 Wimbledon Championships

Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer in the men’s finals (6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7)

John McEnroe, three-time Wimbledon champ, hailed the 2008 Wimbledon finals as the greatest match ever. It was Federer’s first loss in a major finals not played on clay. It was Nadal’s first major outside Roland Garros.

It was interesting to note that the match was played for about five hours, the second-longest finals match in Wimbledon history. There were two rain delays, so the match, and breaks, stretched over seven hours. It ended before nightfall. 

Would the outcome of the match have been different if there was a retractable roof? We believe so. If it happened, it wouldn’t diminish Nadal’s achievements. 

2009 Australian Open

Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer in the men’s finals (7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2)

Many Nadal fans called Nadal’s first Australian Open title his greatest. It took Rafa five sets, and more than five hours, to triumph over fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the semifinals. Nadal looked fresh during the finals, though.

This final would be remembered for Federer bursting into tears during the trophy ceremony. Rafa consoled his greatest rival. Older fans wished it happened to Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe or Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, but it could be the age difference. 

We don’t think there would be a different outcome, as Nadal was the most physical player on the tour. He had the edge when a tennis match would go the distance. 

2009 BNP Paribas Open | 2009 Indian Wells Masters

Rafael Nadal beat Andy Murray in the men’s finals (6-1, 6-2)

Many tennis analysts overlooked the men’s finals of 2009 BNP Paribas Open, where Nadal dominated Andy Murray. It was Nadal’s second title in Indian Wells, also known as the fifth major tournament in the tour. The Scot was challenging the Big Three (Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic) during this time, and his best results came from the hard courts. 

We don’t see a different outcome. A three setter perhaps. 

2010 US Open

Rafael Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic in the men’s finals (6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2)

Nadal won his ninth major title after defeating Djokovic in the men’s finals. The win completed a career Golden Slam. He was also the first to achieve a Surface Calendar Slam, a term used for winning major titles in hard court, grass court, and clay court in the same year. And the Spaniard only lost one set during the tournament. Some fans wondered something else, though. 

Juan Martin del Potro was the defending champion, but a wrist injury, and operation, didn’t allow him to play in New York. Not a few believed that del Potro could’ve defended his US Open title successfully. Nadal may be leading del Potro in their H2H match up, but Delpo won their last three encounters. And they were all played in the North American hard courts. 

2012 Monte Carlo Rolex Masters

Rafal Nadal beat Novak Djokovic in the men’s finals (6-3, 6-1)

Nadal was too good for Djokovic during the finals of the 2012 Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, winning his eighth consecutive title in the Monte Carlo Country Club. He was the first to achieve such a feat. 

Some Djokovic fans would insist that their top player has a chance, but we don’t think it would happen during that day. 

2017 French Open

Rafael Nadal beat Stan Wawrinka in the men’s finals (6-2, 6-3, 6-1)

The 2017 French Open would be the most special title for Nadal due to several reasons. The 2014 French Open was his last major title prior to this one. He didn’t win a major crown during the next few years due to injuries. His form dipped, prompting some fans to think that the Spaniard’s best days were long gone. They wrote him off at their own peril. 

Rafa enjoyed a resurgence during the 2017 ATP Tour, winning the Master 1000 titles in Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome. Nadal beat Stan Wawrinka, the 2015 French Open champ, in straight sets to clinch his 10th French Open title. The Spaniard became the first player to win ten titles in a Grand Slam tournament. It also marked his 15th major title, surpassing Sampras’s total. 

We don’t see a different outcome because Nadal managed to find a way to bounce back from an injury. And it ended with a big bang. It was interesting to note that Federer was back to his winning form during the 2017 ATP Tour. He didn’t play in Roland Garros because he wanted the best preparation for Wimbledon. It was the right move. 

2022 Australian Open

Rafael Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev (2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5)

The 2022 Australian Open happened during the pandemic. Djokovic was the three-time defending champion, but he wasn’t vaccinated against COVID-19. What happened next could be described as dramatic, if not tragic, when the Serb arrived in Melbourne and had his visa canceled by then Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke. The turn of events overshadowed the fact that Nadal won his 21st Grand Slam title in Melbourne Park. 

The spectators were cheering for Rafa, who made a remarkable comeback against Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion. The win broke the tie with Federer (for the most major titles). He was leading all male players for the most Grand Slam titles until Djokovic won his 23rd major title in Roland Garros. 

There were moments when fans thought that Medvedev might’ve won his second Grand Slam title, but the crowd wanted Nadal to win. Badly. The Spaniard was the sentimental favorite. The cheers, and yells, inspired him. It energized him. He became clearly moved after the match ended at past 1 AM. It lasted almost five and a half hours. Nadal called it his most emotional win. Some saw a Rafael Nadal retirement coming, though. 

2022 French Open

Rafael Nadal beat Casper Ruud (6-3, 6-3, 6-0)

It was fitting that Nadal’s last major title happened in Roland Garros. Rafa beat Casper Ruud in convincing fashion, his 14th French Open title cemented his status as the greatest clay-court player. Ever. 

We don’t see Ruud upsetting Nadal, or winning a set. It remains to be seen if Norway’s top-ranked player could go all the way and win a major title, but that’s another story. We almost forgot Richard Gasquet’s retirement at the 2025 French Open.

He was Nadal’s contemporary. They had a rivalry until the Spaniard’s breakthrough in Roland Garros. The comparison hurt Gasquet, but we would talk about it next time. 

The 2008 Wimbledon men’s finals is our favorite. What about yours? What do you think of Rafa’s retirement? Let us know. 

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