Rafael Nadal competed the last season in a profession, 23 years after kicking off his skilled tennis journey! Rafa performed his final match on the Davis Cup Finals in Malag. The legend fell to Botic van de Zandschulp in straight units, wrapping up the yr with a 12-8 rating.
The Spaniard missed probably the most of 2023 after injuring his hip on the Australian Open. Keen to finish a profession on his phrases, the veteran bounced again in the beginning of 2024, embracing 20 duels earlier than saying farewell to his beloved sport. Rafa couldn’t discover his outdated type and rhythm.
The 22-time Main champion struggled in opposition to the better-ranked rivals, notching just one top-15 triumph. Total, Nadal produced 5 top-90 wins, and we are going to look at them in a sworn statement of the legend’s unmatched combating spirit.
Rafael Nadal, 2024 Paris Olympics© Stream screenshot
Nadal tops Marton Fucsovics on the Olympic Video games
Rafa’s fifth-best triumph of the season got here at his beloved Roland Garros throughout his final Olympic Video games. The king of clay ousted world no. 86 Marton Fucsovics 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 on Court docket Philippe-Chatrier within the second spherical, producing the final victory of his profession.
The Spaniard sealed the deal in two and a half hours, making a dependable begin and sealing the deal within the decider. Rafa denied eight of ten break factors and clinched 4 breaks to emerge on the prime. Nadal opened his fourth Olympic Video games in fashion, breaking his rival within the second sport.
Rafael Nadal, 2024 Paris Olympics© Stream screenshot
The legend fired forehand winners in video games three and 5 for a 4-1 benefit. Nadal cracked a forehand down the road winner in sport six for one more break, extending the hole and serving for the opener. He created three set factors with an ace and seized the primary with a backhand winner for 6-1.
Marton dropped the opener in 32 minutes and bounced again in set quantity two. He landed a forehand winner within the second sport for a break and produced two holds for 4-1. Nadal saved two break factors within the sixth sport and grabbed a late break at 3-5 to lengthen the set.
Nonetheless, Rafa struggled on serve at 4-5. He saved two set factors however skilled a break on the third after a wayward drop shot try. The Spaniard missed two break factors in the beginning of the decider and closed the second sport with a smash winner.
The veteran made a push on the return at 1-1, squandering two extra break factors and an opportunity to maneuver in entrance. The Hungarian created three break factors at 2-1. The house favourite denied them and introduced the sport dwelling for 2-2 and extra drama.
Rafa clinched a break within the fifth sport and saved a break level within the subsequent one for 4-2. The king of clay held at love for 5-3 and served for the win at 5-4. He seized the third match level with a forehand down the road winner, clinching his 1080th and last ATP victory.
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 4, 2024 Rafa beats Flavio Cobolli in Barcelona
Nadal missed over three months within the season’s early phases following the Brisbane setback. The veteran returned to motion in April in Barcelona, competing on the courtroom that carries his title. Rafa confronted world no. 62 Flavio Cobolli and earned a rock-solid 6-2, 6-3 victory.
The veteran ousted the younger gun in an hour and 26 minutes, making a profitable comeback and incomes his first victory on clay in nearly two years. Nadal tamed his strokes properly and welcomed Cobolli’s mistake to manage the scoreboard and sail excessive.
Alex de Minaur & Rafael Nadal, Barcelona 2024© Stream screenshot
The Spaniard suffered one break within the second set and clinched 4 return video games to manage the tempo and earn a win. The house favourite misplaced 5 factors on serve within the opening set and transformed two of eight break alternatives. Flavio struggled on serve within the fourth sport.
The younger Italian denied two break factors earlier than the Spaniard grabbed the third and moved in entrance. Rafa moved 4-1 up with a service winner and generated 4 break factors within the subsequent one. Cobolli saved them and held with a service winner for 2-4. Nadal held at love within the seventh sport.
Rafael Nadal, Davis Cup Finals 2024© Stream screenshot
He made one other push on the return at 5-2. Rafa welcomed the rival’s forehand error on a set level and secured the primary a part of the duel in fashion. Nadal denied a break level in the beginning of the second set with a drop shot winner and notched a break within the subsequent one for 2-0.
Rafa obtained damaged within the third sport however delivered one other return sport within the subsequent one after Flavio’s double fault. The house favourite landed a service winner for 4-1 and produced one other advantageous maintain for 5-2. The 22-time Main winner served for the win at 5-3.
He held at 15 and celebrated his first victory in 100 days.
Rafa Nadal rips a STUNNING forehand down the road winner in opposition to Cobolli in Barcelona.
Up to now behind the baseline.
Protection to offense.
He’s nonetheless obtained the magic.
🇪🇸❤️
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) April 16, 2024 Nadal downs Cameron Norrie in Bastad
Rafa returned to Bastad for the primary time in 19 years, utilizing it as the ultimate Olympic Video games preparation. The Spaniard beat Leo Borg within the first spherical and confronted world no. 42 Cameron Norrie within the second. The king of clay delivered a 6-4, 6-4 win, his third-best of the season.
The Spaniard sealed the deal in an hour and 43 minutes, remaining good in opposition to the Briton on clay. Nadal served at 72% and saved three of 4 break factors. He stole 41% of the return factors and offered three breaks from seven alternatives. Cameron led 4-1 within the second set.
Rafael Nadal, Davis Cup Finals 2024© Stream screenshot
Nonetheless, he misplaced the bottom and allowed Rafa to rattle off 5 video games and transfer excessive. Norrie served effectively early on and reached deuces on the return at 3-2. Rafa held and stepped in on the return within the subsequent one, incomes break factors with a drop shot winner.
The Briton saved them earlier than spraying a forehand error on the primary, shifting 4-3 behind. The Spaniard closed the eighth sport with winners, opening a 5-3 hole and serving for the opener in sport ten. Nadal saved two break probabilities and fired two highly effective serves for 6-4 in 49 minutes.
Rafael Nadal, Davis Cup Finals 2024© Stream screenshot
Norrie saved a break level in the beginning of the second set. He delivered a break within the fourth sport after the rival’s wayward forehand. Cameron saved a break level within the subsequent one and fired a backhand winner for 4-1. Rafa stepped in at that second and rattled off 20 of the ultimate 23 factors!
He held at 15 within the sixth sport with a service winner and painted a backhand winner within the subsequent one for a break at love, decreasing the hole to 4-3. The Spaniard held at love for 4-4 and fired one other backhand winner a couple of minutes later for 5-4 and a lift.
The Spaniard hit service winners within the tenth sport, shifting excessive and reaching his first quarter-final in Bastad in 5 years.
Mariano Navone & Rafael Nadal, Bastad 2024© Stream screenshot
Rafa edges Mariano Navone in a cracker!
A day later, the veteran battled in opposition to world no. 36 Mariano Navone within the quarter-final. The 38-year-old prevailed 6-7, 7-5, 7-5 in three hours and 59 minutes, embracing one of the prolonged three-setters of his profession. It was Nadal’s most prolonged match of the season, and he did effectively to emerge on the prime.
They pushed one another to the boundaries in all three units. Rafa stepped in and offered late breaks in units two and three for a spot within the final 4. Nadal claimed ten factors greater than his rival, though he might have misplaced. There have been 36 break factors and 18 profitable return video games!
Rafael Nadal, Bastad 2024© Stream screenshot
The Spaniard saved seven of 15 break factors and responded with ten breaks on his tally from 21 alternatives. The veteran lowered the variety of errors within the pivotal moments and created a slim benefit within the quickest and extra superior exchanges.
Rafa obtained damaged 3 times within the first set. He overcame the deficit and compelled a tie break, dropping it 7-2 after Navone’s 4 mini-breaks. The Argentine erased a 3-0 deficit within the second set and solid a 5-4 benefit. The veteran stepped in and secured the ultimate three video games, stealing the set 7-5.
The king of clay pressured a decider and earned three breaks in a row for 5-2. He served for the win in video games eight and ten, with Mariano pulling each breaks again and lengthening an unimaginable drama. The extra skilled participant saved his composure.
Rafa secured a break within the eleventh sport and moved excessive with a advantageous maintain at 6-5.
🎾Tenis l #JuegosOlimpicos
Rafa Nadal🇪🇸 cae ante ante Djokovic🇷🇸 por 1-6 y 4-6
🔸Otra lección de lucha, de no dar nada por perdido, de seguir hasta el last ¡HONOR Y A POR EL DOBLES! #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/eNPHYd4N6U
— DEPORTE OLÍMPICO (@depominoritario) July 29, 2024 Nadal clinches the one top-15 victory in Madrid
Rafa’s top-ranked victory of the season when it comes to the rival’s rating got here at Caja Magica in Madrid. The house favourite defeated world no. 11 Alex de Minaur 7-6, 6-3, avenging the Barcelona Open defeat. Nadal prevailed within the opener and performed higher on serve and return in set quantity two.
The Spaniard misplaced serve two instances and clinched 4 return video games from 5 alternatives. They fought for almost 80 minutes within the opener, and Rafa was off to a greater begin. The veteran earned a break within the second sport earlier than getting damaged within the subsequent one on the rival’s third break alternative.
Rafael Nadal, Bastad 2024© Stream screenshot
Nadal skilled a break within the seventh sport, spraying errors and dropping serve at love. He pulled it again immediately and produced a cushty maintain for 5-4. The set went right into a tie break, and Rafa wasted 4 set factors at 6-2! He squandered them, bringing Alex to 6-6.
Nadal landed a backhand crosscourt winner within the thirteenth level and changing the fourth set level for a large increase. De Minaur suffered a break in the beginning of the second set and located himself 3-1 behind after Nadal’s maintain at love three video games later.
Rafa closed the sixth sport from 0-30 and painted a backhand crosscourt winner for a 4-2 benefit. The Spaniard moved 5-3 up with a maintain at love and made a push on the return within the subsequent one. He fired a backhand crosscourt winner for 2 match factors.
The house favourite seized the second after the rival’s double fault, incomes his season-best victory of the season.
