On 10 October 2024, Rafael Nadal sent shockwaves through the world of tennis and announced his upcoming retirement at the age of 38. It marks the end of one of the most dominant athletes of the 21st Century. With 22 Grand Slam titles, two Olympic gold medals, and countless more accolades, let’s look back on his most important moments and the legacy he has left on tennis.
Early Success And Rivalry with Federer
Having turned professional at the age of 15, Rafa was destined for big things in the sport. At 17, he reached the third round of Wimbledon, and at 19, he won his first Grand Slam at Roland Garros in 2005.
However, the emergence of another promising youngster would change tennis history forever. Swiss talent Roger Federer was also making a name for himself, yet he was defeated by Rafa on the Spaniard’s route to his first French Open win. Their head-to-head record was 24-16 in favour of Rafa and 14-10 in finals. Rafa went on to win the French Open in 2006 and 2007, but Federer’s elegant style overcame him at Wimbledon.
In the 2007 Wimbledon final, the pair played out one of the greatest matches in tennis history, with Federer winning the classic in five sets. In 2008, Nadal gained his revenge in a gruelling encounter lasting nearly five hours to win his first Wimbledon title. This ended Federer’s six year winning run at Wimbledon.
The contrasting styles between the two were a majestic spectacle. Federer’s style was graceful and artistic, whilst Rafa had power and grit behind his unstoppable top-spin forehand. Yet both players could not account for the emergence of yet another tennis great.
Novak Djokovic’s rise to greatness impacted both players, and finals were not just fought out between Rafa and Federer anymore. The ‘big two’ quickly became the big three’. On hard court, Rafa managed six Grand Slam wins over his career, which is low in comparison to his rivals. Due to Rafa and Federer’s seniority over Djokovic, the Serb became more dominant as the 2010s continued.
Injury Woes And Late Success
The 2022 French Open would be Rafa’s last major title, defeating Norway’s Casper Ruud. It marked the end of an era. Rafa’s injury problems had become more serious, with the Spaniard needing treatment for multiple different injuries. In 2022, he pulled out of his Wimbledon semi-final with a wrist injury. In 2023, he missed the entire clay season due to knee problems and suffered from a hip injury in the Australian Open. Over the course of his career, he missed 15 major tournaments due to injury or illness. His tenure in tennis was coming to an end.
The King Of Clay
14 of his 22 Grand Slam wins came at the French Open. 14 titles in 17 years marks one of the most dominant runs in sporting history, and no one will ever come close to repeating it. 63 of his 92 titles came on clay. He won 112 out of 116 matches on clay and only three opponents defeated him on the surface. The first title of his career came on a clay court tournament in 2004 before being catapulted into the limelight the following year. He spent an incredible 912 weeks in the world’s top 10. However, out of the big three, Rafa was number one for the least amount of time.
The Big Three Debate
With Novak Djokovic still playing, he could extend his lead of Grand Slam titles over the other two. He currently sits at 24, with Rafa sitting at 22 and Federer at 20. Each player has valid arguments for why they should be regarded as the greatest. Djokovic has longevity on his side, something Rafa and Federer could not achieve due to their respective injury issues. Federer was the most aesthetically pleasing and brought a style of tennis that no one had seen before. Rafa had nerves of steel, and every roar he let out in frustration or motivation galvanized the crowd.
What’s clear is that this level of competitiveness will probably never be repeated again. To have the three greatest talents of all time all play in the same period is unprecedented for any sport and reveals how dominant they were.
Rafa’s Legacy And The Heir To His Throne
Rafa’s court antics have earned him a legacy much bigger in today’s society. His deals with brands such as Nike and Emporio Armani were massive and helped other sports athletes gain big sponsorship deals. Speaking in French during on-court interviews captured the heart of France. He will go down as one of, if not the best, Spanish athletes of all time. Young kids getting into tennis in Spain all have one common idol who they want to become.
One of them might already be on his way to becoming better than Rafa. Carlos Alcaraz is this generation’s star of the game and has achieved so much already at such a young age, including playing with his idol at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Four Grand Slam titles at the age of 21 is wildly impressive, and he continues to break records with ease. Whilst 14 Roland-Garros titles might be out of his reach, Alcaraz will definitely be targeting Federer’s number of 20 Slams. He prides himself on having the same work ethic as Rafa: never giving up when the point seems all but finished. The unwavering die-hard attitude of Spaniards does not die out in one generation.
What Next For Rafa?
A lot of tennis greats seem to take different paths after retirement. Some end up being coaches (Martina Navratilova). However fans would be dreaming of seeing Rafa in the world of punditry. Former greats such as John McEnroe and Tim Henman have turned to the profession as a way of remaining active in the sport they once excelled at. We’ll find out what he decides to do soon but for now, let’s just look back at the wonderful career that Rafael Nadal had.
