G.O.A.T, Roland-Garros, 22 majors, father: Everything you always wanted to know about Rafael Nadal (but never had time to find out) – updated after retirement at Davis Cup 2024
Rafael Nadal is considered one of the greatest players in tennis history. Here are the answers to some questions you may have about the Spaniard
Rafael Nadal at the 2020 Roland-Garros
Who is Rafael Nadal?
Rafael Nadal is one of the most successful tennis players of all time. He has won 22 Grand Slam titles, including a record 14 French Open crowns. He is nicknamed the King of Clay for his exploits on the surface.
HAS RAFAEL NADAL PLAYED HIS LAST PROFESSIONAL MATCH?
Yes. Rafael Nadal has retired from professional tennis. He played his last competitive match on November 19, 2024, at the 2024 Davis Cup Final 8 in Malaga, Spain, losing 6-4, 6-4 to Botic van de Zandschulp from the Netherlands in the opening match of Spain’s quarter-final.
Following Nadal’s loss, Carlos Alcaraz kept the Spanish afloat by beating Dutch Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (0), 6-3. However, Alcaraz couldn’t get the job done in partnership with Marcel Granollers as the Spanish duo went down 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) in the deciding doubles encounter.
On October 10, 2024, Rafael Nadal announced, via a video post on social media, that he will be retiring from professional tennis at the end of the 2024 season. The great Spaniard represented his country for one last time at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga in November in what was his final competitive appearance on a tennis court after 23 years of professional tennis.
“Hello everyone, I’m here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, especially these last two. I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make. But, in this life, everything has a beginning and an end. And I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined,” Nadal said in the video in Spanish.
“But, I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country. I think I’ve come full circle since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Sevilla in 2004. I feel super, super lucky for all the things I’ve been able to experience. I want to thank the entire tennis industry. All the people involved in this sport: my long-time colleagues, especially my great rivals. I have spent many, many hours with them, and I have lived many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
WHY did RAFAEL NADAL RETIRe?
Nadal struggled with injuries for much of the final two years of his career and, at the age of 38, he knew his body no longer allowed him to compete at the level he wanted, consistently.
He missed most of 2023 but did play part of the clay-court season in 2024 and the Paris Olympics. He had already said that 2024 was likely his last year on the ATP Tour, but committed to play for Spain in the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.
did rafael nadal play at the paris olympics in 2024?
Yes. Rafael Nadal competed in the Paris 2024 Olympics. He had announced earlier in the year that this was one of his key targets for the summer, but the ongoing questions about his physical fitness meant his participation was not certain.
However, after playing a warm-up event on clay at the Nordea Open, where he reached the final, he arrived in Paris to play singles and doubles, with Carlos Alcaraz.
The 38-year-old reached the second round of the men’s singles and the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles. Nadal beat Marton Fucsovics in the first round before losing 6-1, 6-4 in a one-sided defeat to long-time rival – and eventual champion – Novak Djokovic in the second round.
In the doubles, Nadal partnered Carlos Alcaraz in a highly-anticipated doubles team that delivered three very entertaining matches before bowing out at the third hurdle in the quarter-finals. They beat Molteni and Gonzalez of Argentina in the first round, before dispatching Griekspoor and Koolhof in the second. They were then outplayed in the last eight by the American pairing of Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek as the ‘Nadalcaraz’ adventure came to and end.
DID rafael nadal play at the 2024 us open?
No. Rafael Nadal did not compete at the 2024 US Open. Though he had entered the event with his protected ranking, after his Olympics effort, he said it was unlikely he would play. Nadal then confirmed a week later that he would not appear at the US Open, as he was not “100 percent ready” to compete.
WHAT DID RAFAEL NADAL DO AT THE MADRID MASTERS IN 2024?
After making his comeback following three months out with an abdominal issue – having already missed almost all of 2023 due to a hip injury that required surgery – Nadal returned to the ATP Tour in Barcelona. He won his first-round match but lost 7-5, 6-1 to Alex de Minaur in the second round. In Madrid, he beat 16-year-old Darwin Blanch before meeting De Minaur again. This time, Nadal beat the Australian and followed it up with victory over Pedro Cachin, before eventually bowing out to Jiri Lehecka in the last 16. Afterwards, Nadal pronounced himself satisfied after a “positive week” and said he wants to play at the upcoming Rome Masters.
did rafael nadal play at roland-garros in 2024?
Yes. The aim and high hope for Nadal and his team was always a return to Roland-Garros in 2024, but this was not certain in the weeks leading up to the event. When he arrived at the Madrid Open in April 2024, Nadal cast serious doubt on whether he would make it. “If I arrive in Paris the way I feel today, I won’t play (at Roland-Garros),” he told reporters in Spanish. He lost to Hubert Hurkacz in Rome but decided to compete at Roland-Garros.
Nadal received a hugely difficult draw in Paris, facing third seed Alexander Zverev in round one. The Spaniard competed brilliantly at times, but could not sustain it and went down 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. Zverev became only the third man to beat Nadal at the French Open.
It is still uncertain if this will prove to have been Nadal’s last ever appearance at the tournament. But it remains highly likely that it will be.
WHat did rAFAEL NADAL do in barcelona in 2024?
After three months out because of injury, Rafael Nadal returned to the ATP Tour at the 2024 Barcelona Open, having battled abdominal problems since he returned from Australia in January, where he played in the Brisbane International but then pulled out of the Australian Open. He missed almost all of 2023 because of a hip injury that required surgery.
Nadal played down expectations of a deep run in Barcelona but showed he was still competitive by beating Flavio Cobolli of Italy in the first round.
He performed well in his second-round match against Alex de Minaur but the world No 11 was too consistent and too good as he claimed a 7-5, 6-1 victory.
DID RAFAEL NADAL PLAY IN MONTE-CARLO in 2024?
No. Nadal had hoped to begin his clay-court season in Monte-Carlo, where he is an 11-time champion. But the Spaniard announced on the eve of the event that he is still not ready to compete. At the start of 2024, Nadal suffered a hip problem after his return from a year out with a serious hip psoas issue. The two injuries are not the same.
DID RAFAEL NADAL PLAY CARLOS ALCARAZ IN LAS VEGAS?
Yes. After almost a year out due to a left psoas injury (hip), Nadal returned to action at the Brisbane International in January 2024. The 37-year-old won two matches and reached the quarter-finals before losing to Jordan Thompson.
Nadal pulled out of the Australian Open and Doha to protect the injury. Nadal played Carlos Alcaraz in the “Netflix Slam” on March 3, an exhibition played inside the Mandalay Bay hotel but withdrew from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, saying he was not ready to compete at the top level. He was hoping to be fit in time for the clay-court season and had entered the Monte-Carlo Masters using his protected ranking. But on April 4, he said his body “would not allow him to play” yet and he pulled out of Monte-Carlo.
DID RAFAEL NADAL PLAY AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN IN 2024?
That was the plan. However, Nadal needed medical treatment for an issue close to the psoas during his match with Jordan Thompson in Brisbane. It was not related to the psoas problem which kept him off court for a year, but was serious enough for Nadal to reluctantly choose to skip the opening major of the year.
DID Rafael nadal play laver cup in 2024?
No. After initially planning to take part in 2024’s Laver Cup in Berlin, Nadal then announced a little over a week before the event was due to start that he would be unable to participate.
“I’m really disappointed to share that I won’t be able to compete at the Laver Cup in Berlin next week. This is a team competition and to really support Team Europe, I need to do what’s best for them and at this moment there are other players who can help the team deliver the win,” Nadal said.
Did Rafael Nadal play at Roland-Garros in 2023?
No. On May 18, Nadal announced that the hip injury he suffered at the Australian Open has not recovered in time for him to play at Roland-Garros, where he has won the title 14 times. Nadal said he wanted to stop playing for a number of months in order to ensure he can return at the top level.
What happened to Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open in 2023?
Nadal was beaten in the second round of the Australian Open in 2023, the defending champion losing to Mackenzie McDonald. Nadal suffered a hip injury during the match, which kept him out of action for a year.
Why was Nadal crying at the Laver Cup in 2022?
Nadal played doubles with Roger Federer in the Swiss legend’s final professional match on Friday September 23rd in London. The pair lost to Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock, then took part in an extraordinary, emotional retirement ceremony for Federer.
Both players were filmed and photographed sitting side-by-side with prodigious tears flowing.
Afterwards, Nadal explained his feeling about Federer like this. “When Roger leaves the tour, an important part of my life is leaving too because all the moments that he have been next or in front me in important moments of my life. So have been emotional see the family, see all the people. Yeah, difficult to describe. But, yeah, amazing moment.”
What did Nadal do at the 2022 US Open?
After playing just one warm-up event, Nadal played the US Open and reached the fourth round, before losing to Frances Tiafoe. Afterwards, Nadal said he needed a rest but would be back only when he was mentally ready.
Did Nadal play Wimbledon in 2022?
Nadal did play Wimbledon in 2022, despite not being in top physical condition. After winning his 14th French Open title, the Spaniard admitted he had taken injections to numb his foot during the two weeks in Paris, along with anti-inflammatories and injections. But he added that he cannot continue adopting the same treatment over a longer period of time. Nadal underwent treatment on his foot in Barcelona just two days after winning in Paris.
He still reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon but withdrew ahead of his scheduled match against Nick Kyrgios due to a torn abdominal muscle.
How did Nadal win the 2022 Australian Open?
The Spaniard defeated Daniil Medvedev to become the first man in history to win an Australian Open final from two sets down in the Open Era. The last time it happened in Melbourne was 1965, when Roy Emerson defeated Fred Stolle. With that victory Nadal became the first male player to win 21 Grand Slam titles, and for the first time he surpassed both Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic to lead the race for most Grand Slam men’s singles titles, all-time.
Why is Rafael Nadal called the “King of Clay”?
Nadal is called the “King of Clay” because he has won the French Open a record 14 times. He has won more than 100 matches on the Parisian clay courts, only losing a grand total of four matches – against Robin Soderling in 2009 and Novak Djokovic in 2015 and in the semi-finals in 2021, before losing to Alexander Zverev in the first round in 2024 in what was the Spaniard’s final appearance at the event.
Between 2005 and 2007, the Spaniard won 81 matches in a row on clay, another all-time record.
Why did Rafael Nadal withdraw from Wimbledon, the Olympics and the US Open in 2021?
The Spaniard elected to skip Wimbledon and the Olympics in 2021 in order to rest and recuperate his left foot after a difficult clay court season. Nadal announced the news on June 17, 10 days before the commencement of main draw play at Wimbledon.
“The fact that there has only been two weeks between RG and Wimbledon didn’t make it easier on my body to recuperate after the always demanding clay court season,” Nadal said on Twitter. “They have been two months of great effort and the decision I take is focused looking at the mid and long term.”
It’s the fourth time – also 2004, 2009 and 2016 – that Nadal has missed Wimbledon since his first appearance in 2003.
On August 20, Nadal announced that his left foot injury needed more rest. He pulled out of the US Open and did not play any more events in 2021. In October 2021 Nadal gave an update, saying he would take his time to come back in shape.
“Not everything depends on me, but I am confident that my daily efforts will pay off and allow me to return soon,” he said.
How many titles has Rafael Nadal won?
Rafael Nadal has won 92 titles in his career, including four in 2022. His first came in Sopot in 2004 and his most recent win came at Roland-Garros in 2022.
When was Rafael Nadal born?
Rafael Nadal was born on June 3, 1986 in Manacor, on the island of Mallorca, Spain. He is 6ft 1in (1.85m) tall, according to his profile on ATP official website. He weighs 187 lbs (85 kgs).
Why does Rafael Nadal play left-handed?
Nadal is right-handed for most things in life, but plays tennis left-handed. When he was a child, the Spaniard hit with both hands on both sides, but hit harder on the left side. Seeing this, his uncle and coach, Toni Nadal encouraged him to play his forehand on the left side.
Who is Rafael Nadal’s coach?
Nadal’s current coach is Carlos Moya, a former Spanish player who won Roland-Garros in 1998 and was world No 1 in 1999. Moya joined Nadal’s team in December 2016 as co-coach, before becoming head coach in January 2018, following Toni Nadal’s departure from the main role. Rafael’s uncle wanted to devote himself entirely to his nephew’s academy. Rafael Nadal had been coached by his uncle since his tennis debut.
Who are Rafael Nadal’s parents?
Nadal parents’ are Sebastian Nadal and Ana Maria Parera. Sebastian is a successful businessman in Manacor. He is the owner of Vidres Mallorca – an insurance, glass, and window company. Sebastian also owns a restaurant called Sa Punta.
Ana Maria was a trader who sold perfumes at the time of Rafael’s birth. She left her job and became a homemaker soon after the 22-time Grand Slam champion was born. Nadal’s uncle, Miguel Angel Nadal, played international football for Spain and was nicknamed “The Beast” for his physicality.
Who is Nadal’s wife?
Fifteen years into their relationship, Nadal married Maria Francisca “Xisca” Perello on October 19, 2019. The Spaniard was born on July 7, 1988 in Mallorca. Since 2012, Xisca Perello has been project director at the Rafael Nadal Foundation, which is dedicated to the education of children and their consistent practice of sport.
Does Nadal have any CHILDREN?
Rafael Nadal and his wife Maria Francisca Perello welcomed their first born – a son named Rafael – on October 8, 2022.
How much prize money has Rafael Nadal won in his career?
Rafael Nadal has won $134.9 million in prize money in his career, as of November 2024.
Who is Rafael Nadal’s agent?
Nadal’s agent is Carlos Costa, a former Spanish player, who was world No 10 in 1992.
When did Rafael Nadal start his career?
Rafael Nadal began his professional career in 2001 at age 15. That year, he got his first career win at an ATP Challenger tournament in Sevilla, against Israel Matos Gil, who was world No 751. The following year, in 2002, the Spaniard won his first ATP tour level match, defeating Ramos Delgado, ranked 81st in the world, in the Mallorca tournament first round and in the following round, he lost to Olivier Rochus.
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