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Rafael Nadal

Spanish tennis player with 22 Grand Slam titles

Rafael Nadal, a left-handed player known for his powerful forehand, has won 22 Grand Slam singles titles. He has been ranked world No. 1 by ATP, won an Olympic gold medal, and completed the Career Golden Slam in singles. Nadal is part of the Big Three in men's tennis and has received numerous awards for his sportsmanship and achievements.

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Novak Djokovic Roger Federer Raphael Atletico de Madrid Rory McIlroy Lionel Messi Real Madrid CF Xabi Alonso Dmitry Medvedev Pablo Picasso

Timeline

Birth of Rafael Nadal Parera

Rafael Nadal Parera, the Spanish professional tennis player, was born on June 3, 1986, in Manacor, Spain. He has achieved numerous milestones in his tennis career, including winning multiple Grand Slam titles and Olympic medals.

Career Beginning of Rafael Nadal

In 2001, Rafael Nadal's tennis career began. This marked the start of his journey towards becoming one of the top players in the world.

Record of 912 Consecutive Weeks in Top 10 ATP Rankings Ended

Rafael Nadal's all-time record of 912 consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings came to an end on March 20, 2023.

Missed Australian Open 2006 due to left foot injury

Rafael Nadal was unable to participate in the Australian Open in 2006 because of an injury to his left foot.

Nadal wins Italian Open title

Nadal won the Italian Open title by defeating Federer in a fifth-set tiebreaker in the final, after saving two match points and equaling Björn Borg's tally of 16 ATP titles won as a teenager.

Nadal breaks Guillermo Vilas's record

Nadal broke Argentinian Guillermo Vilas's 29-year male record of 53 consecutive clay-court match victories by beating Robin Söderling in the first round of the French Open.

Nadal wins third French Open title

Nadal won his third French Open title by not dropping a set en route to the final where he faced Federer and won in four sets.

Nadal wins French Open without losing a set

Nadal won the French Open in 2008 without losing a set, defeating Roger Federer in the final and achieving his fourth consecutive French Open title.

Nadal wins Wimbledon for the first time

In 2008, Nadal won his first Wimbledon title by defeating Roger Federer in an epic final, ending Federer's streak of five consecutive Wimbledon titles.

Nadal becomes world No. 1

On August 18, 2008, Nadal became the world No. 1 in tennis, ending Roger Federer's record four-and-a-half-year reign at the top.

French Open 4th round loss to Robin Söderling

Nadal's 31-match winning streak at the French Open was ended by Robin Söderling in the 4th round, marking Nadal's first loss at the tournament.

Monte-Carlo Masters Victory

Rafael Nadal won the Monte-Carlo Masters by defeating Fernando Verdasco in the final with a score of 6–0, 6–1. This victory marked his first title in 11 months and he became the first player in the Open Era to win the same tournament for six consecutive years.

Madrid Masters Triumph

Rafael Nadal won the Madrid Masters by defeating Roger Federer in the final, completing a clean sweep of the three clay-court Masters 1000 titles. This win gave him his 18th Masters title, breaking Andre Agassi's all-time record.

French Open Victory

Rafael Nadal won his fifth French Open championship by defeating Söderling in the final, avenging his previous year's defeat. This victory also helped him regain the world No. 1 ranking from Federer.

Wimbledon Title

Rafael Nadal won his second Wimbledon title by defeating Tomáš Berdych in the final. This victory marked his eighth career major title and he faced challenges during the tournament including warnings for coaching.

US Open Career Grand Slam

Rafael Nadal won the 2010 US Open by defeating Novak Djokovic in the final, completing his first Career Grand Slam. This victory also made him the first man to win majors on clay, grass, and hard courts in the same year.

ATP Finals Runner-Up

Rafael Nadal reached the final of the 2010 ATP Finals in London but lost to Roger Federer. Despite the loss, Nadal had a strong performance winning all of his round-robin matches for the first time in his career.

Mubadala World Tennis Championship Victory

Rafael Nadal started 2011 by winning the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, defeating Roger Federer in the final. This victory set a positive tone for his upcoming season.

Davis Cup Victory

Rafael Nadal helped Spain defeat Belgium in a 2011 Davis Cup World Group first-round tie by winning his matches against Ruben Bemelmans and Olivier Rochus. This victory contributed to Spain's success in the Davis Cup.

Indian Wells Open and Miami Masters Finals

Rafael Nadal reached the finals of both the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Masters in 2011 but lost to Novak Djokovic in three sets in both finals. This marked the first time Nadal reached the finals of both tournaments in the same year.

French Open Victory

Nadal won his sixth French Open title by defeating Roger Federer. This victory marked his sixth title at the French Open.

Seventh French Open Title

Nadal won his seventh French Open title after defeating Novak Djokovic in the final. This marked his seventh title at the French Open.

Receiving Marca Leyenda award

On November 26, 2013, he received the Marca Leyenda award for the Best Spanish Sportsman in History on the 75th Anniversary of the Marca sports newspaper.

9th French Open Crown

In 2014, Rafael Nadal won his 9th French Open title, becoming the first man in the Open Era to achieve this feat, breaking Guillermo Vilas' 32-year record of 8 titles in Buenos Aires.

Nadal's 29th Masters title in Monte Carlo

Nadal won his 29th Masters title in Monte Carlo, marking his tenth victory in the principality, the most wins by any player at a single tournament in the Open era.

Rafael Nadal Wins 10th French Open Title

Rafael Nadal achieved a record-setting 10th French Open title, also known as 'La Decima' in Spanish, by defeating Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland at Roland Garros.

Nadal's 10th French Open title

Nadal won a record tenth French Open title, marking his first Grand Slam title since 2014 and ending his three-year drought in Grand Slams. He won every set in the tournament, dropping only 35 games.

Nadal's 3rd US Open title

Nadal earned his third US Open title against Kevin Anderson, capturing two Grand Slam tournaments in a year for the first time since 2013. He also extended his winning streak by winning the China Open.

Nadal secures year-end No. 1 ranking

By defeating Hyeon Chung in the Paris Masters, Nadal secured the year-end No. 1 ranking for the fourth time in his career, tying him for fourth all-time with other tennis greats.

Nadal's 11th Monte Carlo title

Nadal won his 11th title in Monte Carlo, marking his 76th career title and becoming the player with the most Masters titles in tennis history.

Nadal's 8th Italian Open title

Nadal captured his 8th title in the Italian Open, overtaking John McEnroe in the fourth place on the list of most titles won in the Open Era. It was his 32nd Masters title.

Nadal wins 17th Grand Slam title at French Open

Rafael Nadal won his 17th Grand Slam title at the French Open, tying Margaret Court's record for singles titles at a Grand Slam event. He beat Dominic Thiem in the final in three sets, dropping only one set on his way to the title.

Nadal wins 12th French Open title

Nadal defeated Dominic Thiem in four sets to claim his record-extending twelfth French Open title, breaking Margaret Court's all-time record of singles titles won at the same major.

Rafael Nadal marries Xisca Perelló

Rafael Nadal, the tennis player from Manacor, marries his long-time girlfriend Xisca Perelló after a dating relationship of more than 12 years.

Nadal helps Spain win Davis Cup

Nadal played a crucial role in Spain winning its sixth Davis Cup title, winning all eight of his matches in singles and doubles without dropping a set. He was also awarded the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Exhibition Match in Cape Town

Roger Federer faced Rafael Nadal in an exhibition match in Cape Town, South Africa in front of the largest crowd in tennis history. The match attracted 51,954 fans and raised $3.5 million for the Roger Federer Foundation.

Rafael Nadal wins his 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open

In January 2022, Rafael Nadal claimed his 21st Grand Slam title by defeating Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final after overcoming a two-set deficit.

French Open 2022

Rafael Nadal won his 14th French Open title and 22nd major title overall, becoming the then-oldest French Open champion ever. He defeated Casper Ruud in three dominant sets.

Left Hip Injury at Australian Open

Rafael Nadal suffered a left hip injury during a 2nd round loss to McDonald at the 2023 Australian Open, which sidelined him for the rest of the season. He underwent arthroscopic left hip surgery in Barcelona on June 2.

Exit from Top 10

Rafael Nadal exited the Top 10 for the first time since 25 April 2005, ending the longest Top-10 streak in ATP rankings history after 18 years and 912 consecutive weeks.

Rafael Nadal's Career-long Battle with Injuries

A timeline of Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal's struggles with injuries throughout his career.

End of the Timeline
Rafael Nadal

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