The good rivalries that outlined Rafael Nadal’s profession | ATP Tour

Rafael Nadal

The good rivalries that outlined Nadal’s profession

A take a look at the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s largest opponents

November 20, 2024

To rejoice the tip of Rafael Nadal’s historic profession at this week’s Davis Cup Last 8, ATPTour.com is publishing a sequence of articles paying tribute to the Spaniard. View our #RafaSiempre sequence.

A lot can occur in the course of the lifetime of an elite. After a profession spanning over 20 years, Rafael Nadal has determined to convey his time as an expert tennis participant to an finish. In doing so, he closes the door on the good rivalries which have formed his life on the ATP Tour.

To mark the retirement of the Spanish famous person, ATPTour.com takes a glance again at a few of his largest rivalries.

Nadal vs. Roger Federer: 24-16 within the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence
Not solely is it one of many largest rivalries within the historical past of tennis, Nadal in opposition to Federer is likely one of the largest rivalries within the historical past of sport; two foes who pushed one another to realize the seemingly inconceivable.

Their diametrically contrasting types generated a sequence of encounters that elevated tennis to beforehand unseen heights. The Spaniard and the Swiss gained the hearts of followers in each nook of the planet each time they took court docket for one more conflict.

It began in 2004, when a baby-faced 17-year-old Nadal upset Federer, the then-No. 1 within the PIF ATP Rankings, with a powerful 6-3, 6-3 victory to achieve the fourth spherical of the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami. The Swiss, who had already gained two Grand Slam titles, was caught off-guard by what he confronted on the opposite aspect of the web: a fearless, energetic, and highly effective opponent who barely batted an eyelid as he brushed him apart.

Federer earned his revenge a 12 months in a while the identical stage by beating Nadal within the 2005 Miami closing, in an intense five-set conflict (getting back from two units down in what was the primary basic encounter between the 2 legends). Nevertheless, the Spaniard struck again by successful 5 matches on the trot to earn himself a 6-1 lead of their Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence.

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That run included a Roland Garros semi-final and closing (throughout 2005 and 2006), and three finals in Dubai, Monte Carlo and Rome, respectively, all of which went to the Spaniard. The latter, on the Foro Itálico, was some of the thrilling battles between the pair: after greater than 5 hours on court docket, Nadal celebrated victory having saved two match factors. Federer was powerless as he watched the trophy slip from his grasp.

The Swiss would sluggish his rival’s momentum with a win of their first Wimbledon closing (2006), and as soon as once more that 12 months within the semis of the Nitto ATP Finals, consuming into Nadal’s lead (3-6) and making a psychological restoration from the ache inflicted on him throughout his 5 straight defeats to the Spaniard. It might be a close-run factor in 2007 (two wins to Nadal, three for Federer, together with his first on clay within the Hamburg closing), earlier than the lefty from Mallorca took a clear sweep in a historic 2008 season.

That 12 months, Nadal and Federer crossed paths 4 instances. All 4 ended with the Spaniard lifting his arms to the sky in celebration. Nadal additionally gained Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back. The latter was an assault on Federer’s favorite stomping floor, which he had, to that time, defended so vehemently from the Mallorcan (2-0, winner of the 2006 and 2007 finals).

That match, the 2008 Wimbledon closing, is taken into account by many as among the best within the historical past of tennis. Nadal took the primary two units earlier than Federer levelled a tie that might be determined in a nail-biting 9-7 fifth set, with barely any gentle left on the All England Tennis Membership, simply when it seemed like they’d be unable to complete till the following day.

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The truth that Nadal kick-started 2009 by beating the Swiss on the Australian Open certainly had one thing to do with what had occurred at Wimbledon six months earlier. After Melbourne, the place the Spaniard claimed an electrifying closing that additionally went to a fifth set, the Lexus ATP Head2Head tally between the pair stood at 13-6 to the Balearic Islander.

Nadal would string collectively one other 5 victories between 2013 and 2014 earlier than Federer claimed six of his personal (2015 to 2019), coinciding with the interval when the Spaniard was coming back from a big right-knee harm.

These would show to be the final encounters in a rivalry whose closing two matches got here in 2019, each at Grand Slams: Nadal beat Federer within the semi-finals at Roland Garros, and the Swiss returned the favour in the identical spherical at Wimbledon.

Of the 40 matches between the 2 gamers, 20 had been on laborious courts (11-9 to Federer) 16 on clay (14-2 to Nadal), and 4 on grass (3-1 to the Swiss). In Grand Slams, the Spaniard led the Swiss 10-4.

Aside from the numbers, which offer context for the rivalry, they’ve left one thing extra intangible of their wake; the particular aura of two gamers who outlined an period as they went head-to-head on the largest phases on the planet.

Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic: 29-31 within the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence
No two gamers have confronted one another on extra events than Nadal and Djokovic (who performed 60 tour-level matches in complete), a proven fact that tells all you could know concerning the significance of the rivalry between the Spaniard and the Serb. Two of the very best gamers of all time, they saved up their private tussle for nearly 20 years.

The pair first squared off in 2006, within the quarter-finals of Roland Garros, the place Nadal took the spoils after the retirement of the Serbian within the third set. Though their first closing collectively got here only one 12 months later (2007 Indian Wells), with victory going to the Spaniard, it was a while till their first assembly in a Grand Slam decider: in 2010, on the US Open. Nadal emerged victorious of their first conflict for a significant title.

Throughout these years, Nadal notched a big lead of their Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence (15-7), though Djokovic did win three consecutive matches in 2009 (in Cincinnati, Paris, and on the Nitto ATP Finals, respectively). As he gained expertise, the Serbian improved at an astonishing price and his tug-of-war with Nadal appeared to assist him push in the direction of his greatest tennis.

After shedding that 2010 US Open closing to the Spaniard and in addition their group-stage conflict on the Nitto ATP Finals, Djokovic immediately upped his recreation in a manner that none may have predicted. The Serbian beat the Manacor native in seven straight finals throughout 2011 and 2012: Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome, Wimbledon, US Open, and the Australian Open, defeating him on laborious court docket, clay, and grass.

That memorable match in Melbourne, which lasted 5 hours and 53 minutes, is the longest closing in Grand Slam historical past. Though Djokovic took the title, not directly, Nadal had managed to alter the dynamic of their rivalry, forcing the Serbian to play his best possible to return by means of the encounter with the trophy in his palms.

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Nadal virtually instantly reaped the rewards for his efficiency Down Underneath. The Spaniard gained his subsequent three ties with Djokovic (Monte Carlo, Rome, Roland Garros), ending his nemesis’ confidence-boosting seven-win streak.

Within the years that adopted, their rivalry can be extra matched, with each gamers claiming their fair proportion of wins (Nadal beat Djokovic within the 2013 US Open closing and the 2014 Roland Garros closing, whereas the Serbian got here out on high in Beijing and on the Nitto ATP Finals in 2013, in addition to in Miami and Rome in 2014).

Djokovic once more exerted a interval of dominance over Nadal by successful one other seven consecutive matches throughout 2015 and 2016 in Monte Carlo, Rome, Roland Garros (his first win over Nadal on the clay-court main), Beijing, the Nitto ATP Finals, Doha, Indian Wells and Rome, earlier than Nadal lastly introduced the run to an finish in 2017 in Madrid with an excellent semi-final victory.

In 2018, the pair placed on an amazing present of their Wimbledon semi-final conflict, which was delayed because of poor gentle on Friday and continued on Saturday, when Djokovic sealed a 10-8 fifth-set win. Each gamers produced some jaw-dropping tennis, a lot to the delight of the followers.

Between 2019 and 2021, the 2 legends solely crossed paths in finals, with Djokovic successful on the Australian Open (2019) and the ATP Cup (2020). Nadal took the bragging rights in Rome (2019), at Roland Garros (2020), and once more in Rome (2021).

Destiny would have it that the final three encounters of their rivalry got here at Roland Garros: Djokovic gained within the 2021 semi-finals, Nadal prevailed within the 2022 quarter-finals and the Serbian ended their lengthy historical past with a second-round victory on the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Nadal vs. Andy Murray: 17-7 within the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence
To his monumental credit score, Murray managed to make room for himself subsequent to the so-called Large Three of tennis (Djokovic, Nadal and Federer). The Briton gave Nadal loads to consider over their 24 Lexus ATP Head2Head encounters.

Nadal dominated their earliest clashes, successful the primary 5 matches (from the 2007 Australian Open to the 2008 semi-final in Canada). In a transparent demonstration of his authority, the Spaniard raced away from the Briton, laying the foundations for his or her rivalry with victories on laborious court docket, clay, and grass.

Murray lastly bought his first win within the semi-finals of the 2008 US Open. It was a triumph that helped him win once more within the 2009 closing in Rotterdam, the place Nadal may see that Murray had discovered from his earlier defeats and was now prepared to reply. Nadal must work a lot tougher sooner or later to defeat his rival.

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Though they by no means crossed paths in a Grand Slam closing, Nadal and Murray performed once more on the Australian Open (2010 quarter-finals, win to Murray), Roland Garros (2011 and 2014 semi-finals, wins for Nadal), Wimbledon (2010 and 2011 semi-finals, Nadal), and the US Open (2011 semi-finals, Nadal).

Curiously, Murray managed to see off Nadal twice within the Spaniard’s homeland, within the 2015 closing and the 2016 semi-final in Madrid. The latter was the final time they’d discover one another on reverse sides of the web.

The 24 matches they contested break down as follows: 4-4 on laborious courts, with Nadal main on clay (7-2) and on grass (3-0). Nadal completed with a 7-2 lead in opposition to Murray in Grand Slam encounters.

Nadal vs. Others
In addition to Federer, Djokovic, and Murray, undoubtedly crucial opponents of Nadal’s dazzling profession, there are many different gamers the Spaniard had frequent clashes with, creating extra nice rivalries throughout his 20 years on the Tour.

David Ferrer (26-6 to Nadal)
Nadal and Ferrer contested eight finals (all gained by Nadal), together with the Roland Garros title match in 2014. These had been a few of the standout moments in an all-Spanish rivalry wherein Ferrer took first blood (in Stuttgart 2004), and the place the Alicante native additionally sunk Nadal on the US Open (2007) and on the Nitto ATP Finals (2007).

Stan Wawrinka (19-3 to Nadal)
Nadal flew out of the blocks in his sequence of encounters with Wawrinka, successful his first 12 clashes in opposition to the Swiss. Nevertheless, Wawrinka would have his revenge, defeating Nadal within the 2012 Australian Open closing, though the Spaniard was enjoying after hurting his again within the heat up. They met once more in one other main closing, with Nadal prevailing at Roland Garros in 2017.

Juan Martin del Potro (11-6 to Nadal)
4 early triumphs for Nadal had been adopted by three for Del Potro, laying the foundations for a spectacular rivalry between two passionate gamers who beloved to entertain the followers. The Spaniard gained the one closing they contested (2013 Indian Wells), whereas the Argentine claimed some large victories of his personal: within the semi-finals of the 2009 US Open, the semi-finals of the 2016 Olympic Video games in Rio, and the semi-finals of the 2018 US Open.

Dominic Thiem (10-6 to Nadal)
Two Roland Garros finals claimed by Nadal marked the top his rivalry with Thiem, which took on specific significance on clay courts. Nevertheless, it additionally offered some spectacular episodes elsewhere, reminiscent of within the quarter-finals of the 2018 US Open (the place Nadal gained in a fifth-set tie-break) and the quarter-finals of the 2020 Australian Open, gained by Thiem.

Editor’s notice: This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es