With his recurring foot issue flaring up once more last year, Rafael Nadal did not know whether he would be able to return to the court again. With 20 Grand Slams behind him, it would not be ignominy for him to leave the court after a career that has shown all the colours that he could have exhibited. But he did know he had more to give. It is only over when Rafa decides it is over.
Having recovered from Covid-19, the 35-year-old Spaniard arrived in Melbourne, facing the most brutal of realities. Cut to Sunday, January 30, it was a scene written in the stars when an impassioned Rafa tossed his racquet, punched the air, fell on his knees, eyes closed, fists clenched, uttering a cathartic cry of release. It was reality untethered. Rafael Nadal had yet again scripted one of the greatest comebacks in the history of Grand Slams, rallying back from two sets down to clinch the cup. No biggie.
A battered body behind the careless smile, Rafa seeped in the glory of a career that has given him everything, as he became the first man ever to clinch 21 Grand Slams. It had to be him. When Roger Federer posted on Instagram while congratulating him — “A few months ago, we were joking about being on crutches” — we knew it is almost twilight for the two greatest players of the generation. But Nadal will not stop at 21. He knows that. The world believes. With Roland Garros a few months away, it is kingdom come. Putting aside the oft-reductive GOAT debate for a while, The Telegraph looks back on Nadal’s 21 Grand Slam Men’s Single titles over a stellar 17-year career.
Nadal after his first French Open men’s singles victory back in 2005. It was also the first time that he showed his predilection to bite the cup he had won.
No.1: French Open 2005
It was the tournament debut for the prince as a 17-year-old Rafa cruised through the rounds, defeating Federer in an epic semi-final clash and announcing his arrival by defeating Mariano Puerta and clinching his first of 13 French Open titles.
At the same venue a year down the line in 2006 was when he would beat Roger Federer for the first time in a Grand Slam final.
No.2: French Open 2006
Marking the first clash between Djokovic and Nadal, the quarter-final contest saw Nadal edge past Djokovic after the latter retired with an injury. The final saw Nadal and Federer battling it out on clay. It was known terrain for the King of Clay, as he defeated Federer to defend his title. This was Federer’s first defeat in a major final.
His French Open win in 2007 would make him the only man (besides Bjorn Borg) in 93 years to win three in a row at Roland Garros. Till now, he has won the title no less than 13 times, which is probably an unassailable record.
No.3: French Open 2007
The two titans of the game were at it again, as Nadal reached the final of the French Open for the third consecutive year defeating Novak Djokovic and Federer reached a record-breaking eighth consecutive major final appearance. Rafa defeated Federer to clinch his third French Open title, becoming the only man besides Bjorn Borg, in 93 years, to win three consecutive titles at the Roland Garros.
Nadal would win his first Wimbledon in 2008, proving his mettle on grass as well, although he remained the King of Clay.
No.4: French Open 2008
It was routine for Roland Garros to watch Nadal and Federer sailing into the finals, but the match took everybody by sheer surprise as Nadal decimated Federer 6-1, 6-3, 6-0, marking Federer’s worst loss at a Grand Slam match. For the King of Clay, it was fiesta of the highest order, clinching his fourth consecutive title without losing a single set.
No.5: Wimbledon 2008
It was a tricky pasture for Rafa, as he cruised to the final of the Wimbledon Championship only to set up a clash with, surprise, surprise, Roger Federer who was the five-time defending champion on his favourite grass court, having defeated Nadal in the previous two finals. Lasting four hours 48 minutes, and considered to be the greatest match in tennis history, the redemption-seeking Spaniard defeated Roger Federer, which would fetch him his first major title outside French Open.
The Spaniard was on a roll at this time, winning his first Australian Open in 2009 and the US Open the next year along with the French Open yet again and Wimbledon.
No.6: Australian Open 2009
It marked the first hard court major which saw Nadal reaching the final as he defeated Fernando Verdasco in a memorable semi-final clash lasting five hours and 14 minutes. Regularity and consistency found otherworldly dimensions, as the final saw Federer and Nadal contesting in Melbourne for the cup. Rafa defeated Roger to clinch his first Australian Open title and sixth major title overall.
No.7: French Open 2010
It was the golden year for Rafa, marking a new decade, as he won his fifth French Open title defeating Robin Soderling. It was the second time Nadal won the title without dropping a set and the title win put him on the No.1 world ranking, displacing Federer.
No.8: Wimbledon 2010
Nadal defeated Tomas Berdych in the final quite definitively with occasional flashes of brilliance to win his second Wimbledon title and eighth Grand Slam title. Only having skipped 2009 owing to injuries, it was his fourth Wimbledon final in a run.
No.9: US Open 2010
To round off the regal year, Nadal set up a final clash with a pumped-up Djokovic who defeated Federer in the semi-final. However, it really was Nadal’s year as he proved to be too heavy for Djokovic, clinching his ninth major grand slam title. Nadal became the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win The French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year and the first man ever to win the Surface Slam. Not a bad way to herald a new decade.
No.10: French Open 2011
With the top four seeds advancing to the semi-final, Nadal defeated Andy Murray and Federer defeated Djokovic to set up another final clash between the two. Matching Bjon Borg’s record for the most French Open Titles, Nadal defeated Federer, bringing home his sixth French Open title and 10th major overall.
No.11: French Open 2012
Rafa walked into the Roland Garros as the two-time defending champion with a record to break. Washing aside David Ferrer in the semi-final, Rafa squared off with Djokovic who had the chance to become the first man since Rod Laver to win all four major titles in a single year. With a lot at stake on both sides, the tension was palpable on the clay court. But it drizzled upon Paris to halt the game, returning from which Nadal ruthlessly claimed his Parisian clay as he lifted a record seventh French Open title.
No.12: French Open 2013
Now three-time defending champion, Nadal had an uphill task facing Djokovic in the semi-final. The encounter lasted for four hours 37 minutes and is dubbed as the best clay court match ever, which finally saw Nadal outgun the Serb, setting up an all-Spanish final against David Ferrer. Riding on the mojo, Nadal emerged victorious in Paris for a record eighth time.
No.13: US Open 2013
Defeating an energetic Richard Gasquet in the semi-final, Nadal and Djokovic set up the final clash, both in contention for the No. 1 ranking. Nadal defeated Djokovic to win his second US Open title and 13th Grand Slam title over all, moving up to third place on the all the men’s single major titles, past Roy Emerson.
No.14: French Open 2014
Nadal was never chasing records; it was the other way round. Defeating Djokovic in the final despite going down in the first set, he became the first man to win nine titles at the same major and the French Open five consecutive times. It was the sixth time both of them squared off at the Roland Garros, with Nadal outclassing Djokovic all six times.
No.15: French Open 2017
There’s no one who knows the clay better. Nadal clinched a record-extending 10th title, a fair tradition without qualms, defeating Stan Wawrinka. He won the title without losing a set for the third time after having completely bested Dominic Thiem in the semi-final.
No.16: US Open 2017
Claiming his first hard court title since January 2014, it was Nadal in all black, on a mission as he absolutely overwhelmed Kevin Anderson in the final. It was his third US Open title and increasing his tally to a 16th major title overall.
No.17: French Open 2018
Nadal wiped aside Juan Martin Del Potro in the semi-final to set up a clash with Dominic Thiem in the final, having lost only one set during the tournament, at Roland Garros. The Austrian was no match for Nadal as he cruised to another record-extending 11th French Open title, becoming the first player in the Open Era to achieve the feat, also extending his major tally to 17.
No.18: French Open 2019
In a rematch of last year’s final, Nadal had a record 18th title in his sight, only a defiant Thiem standing in the way. Defeating Federer in the semi-final, Nadal kept the tradition happy and alive, as he defeated Thiem to claim his 12th French Open title, becoming the player to have won 12 titles at the same major. Paris knows the Rafa way.
No.19: US Open 2019
In a hard-fought final, Daniil Medvedev rallied back after being two sets down but it is almost impossible to deter to a sleeveless Nadal who has decided how it is going to end. Winning the final set, Nadal clinched his fourth US Open title and 19th major career title. “The way you are playing is a big joke. It’s very tough to play against you,” Medvedev quipped. We know Daniil, we know.
No.20: French Open 2020
It was 13th heaven for Rafa as he defeated World No. 1 Djokovic without dropping a set during the tournament for the fourth time in his career, often considered his finest performance at Roland Garros. With the win, he matched Federer’s 20 Grand Slam title wins. “Today you showed why you are the king of clay… I experienced it in my own skin,” Djokovic said during the presentation.
Rafael Nadal on the way to his comeback from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev in the finals of the Australian Open 2022 men’s singles; (left) with the trophy after the historic win.
No.21: Australian Open 2022
Perhaps the title that defined it all. It is not really the same for a 35-year-old after two years of a pandemic to establish himself on the court. Nadal embraced hard reality, but it is against Medvedev in the final, the world got to envisage reality for what it is. Two sets down, it was just Medvedev’s title to take home, when Rafa’s eyes told a different story. With a ritualistic shirt tug, the world could not believe the onslaught which followed. As Medvedev failed to return on the final rally, a worn-down Nadal, with the familiar royal flair, dropped his racquet and covered his mouth in oblivious surprise. Surpassing Federer and Djokovic tied at 20, Nadal lifted his 21st Grand Slam title in front of an ecstatic crowd in Melbourne. A torrent of emotions was at play, as Rafa did what he does best. Win.
