Rafael Nadal will start his 11th ATP Finals campaign on Sunday night against Taylor Fritz. The 36-year-old is still in contention for the year-end no. 1 spot, battling for it against Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Rafa has been dealing with injuries and setbacks in the last couple of years, although he still wants to perform at his best and chase notable titles.
The Spaniard missed the second part of the 2021 season and made a perfect start at the beginning of the new year. Not knowing what to expect, Rafa traveled to Melbourne and claimed two ATP titles, including his second Australian Open crown, the first since 2009!
Nadal made an incredible comeback in the final against Daniil Medvedev, trailing 6-2, 7-6, 3-2, 40-0 before prevailing after five hours and 24 minutes. Rafa conquered the ATP 500 event in Acapulco over Medvedev and Cameron Norrie and remained perfect (20-0) ahead of the Indian Wells final.
Nadal experienced a fractured rib and could not do much against Taylor Fritz, losing for the first time this year and skipping Monte Carlo and Barcelona, his favorite tournaments on beloved clay. The Spaniard returned in Madrid and Rome in May and did not play his best tennis.
He struggled with a foot injury and gathered dark clouds over his Roland Garros preparation.
Rafael Nadal has had a great year, despite injuries.
As many times before, Nadal was a player to beat in Paris, receiving injections ahead of every match and toppling seven rivals to secure his 22nd Major title!
Rafa defeated Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud en route to his 14th Roland Garros trophy, cementing his ATP Race lead and becoming the year-end no. 1 favorite. Nadal did not receive points for the Wimbledon semi-final, leaving London with an abdominal injury that jeopardized his hard-court summer swing.
Rafa skipped Montreal and suffered an early loss in Cincinnati to Borna Coric. With no form or matches, the Spaniard suffered the fourth-round US Open defeat to Frances Tiafoe, losing a chance to become world no. 1 at 36. Rafa stayed away from the court for almost two months, returning at the Paris Masters and suffering the second-round loss.
The Spaniard arrived early in Turin, setting eyes on his first ATP Finals crown and wishing for a more consistent schedule in 2023. “Each title is different, and you enjoy each match in a particular way. I experienced exciting moments this season after winning the Australian Open and Roland Garros.
It has been an excellent year but challenging at the same time due to physical issues. Winning the 22nd Major crown at Roland Garros was an unforgettable moment for me after all the problems I had during those two weeks,” Rafael Nadal said.
