His results are so impressive that the Spaniard gives the impression of stepping back in time, of being as dominating as in his finest hours. At 36, he is undeniably, at least from a statistical point of view, on the rhythm of his best seasons. In the event of another New York triumph, this 2022 vintage could even be the most significant. A short summary is needed to get started in the little game of comparisons, and this in chronological order:
U.S. Open
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- 2005: 11 titles including 1 Grand Slam (Roland-Garros) and 88.8% wins
- 2008: 8 titles including 2 Grand Slam (Roland-Garros, Wimbledon), Olympic gold and 88.2% wins
- 2010: 7 titles including 3 Grand Slam (Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, US Open) and 87.7% wins
- 2013: 10 titles including 2 Grand Slam (Roland-Garros, US Open) and 91.5% wins
- 2022 (in progress): 4 titles including 2 Grand Slam (Australian Open, Roland-Garros) and 89.7% wins
Double dose of tweeners: Nadal and Swiatek have fun against Gauff and McEnroe
The 2010 financial year, the ultimate benchmark to beat
The value placed on the four monuments of the calendar being what it is in modern tennis, the 2010 financial year, the only one in which Rafael Nadal achieved the Petit Slam – his rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic did so on three occasions each – nevertheless stands out from this list. The “Bull of Manacor” could therefore match this reference season, and this without losing the slightest match on the court in a Major, moreover (he had lost on abandonment because of his right knee in the quarter-finals of the Open of Australia 2010 against Andy Murray). What makes it its new apogee?
And the ex-Spanish champion to insist on the permanent miracle of this year 2022 for his compatriot. “It was probably one of the most difficult seasons of his career, as much because of the journey he had to make before even starting it as because he had to go through afterwards. After his final in Indian Wells and this physical alert (cracked rib, Editor’s note), he missed a few clay-court tournaments. Then he comes back and he has this foot problem. And he arrives at Roland-Garros and he wins all of a sudden. What Rafa is doing still impresses me. I’ve known him since he was a kid, and I still don’t understand how he can adapt so well to these situations. He is probably the best player or athlete I have met in the face of adversity.”
Nadal and Medvedev make their ranges in Flushing
At his age and with these injuries, what he does is incredible
All this is obviously only conjecture, especially since the Majorcan does not approach this US Open in the best conditions, with only one preparation match, lost against Borna Coric in Cincinnati. “My abdominal tear (at Wimbledon, editor’s note) is a dangerous injury. When you serve, you apply a lot of pressure at the level of the scar. You have to find flexibility. The risk of it breaking is higher when this area is less flexible than before. I didn’t force it in training in Cincinnati. In match, I gave the maximum without putting everything at the service level. Here, I do the best I can. With my current tools, I hope to give myself a chance. I pay attention to the level of service, but otherwise I train at high intensity“, confided the interested party in front of the press before the tournament.
An impressive series of Nadal stopped dead: Coric can be proud of him
Still, Nadal has proven this season, more than perhaps in any other, that no matter the circumstances, he is capable of anything. “He does things that no one has ever done before, which is to get up in the morning, and not know if he’s going to be able to play, or walk, or if he’s going to go home on the following day. So I really don’t understand how a player can do that. I admire him for that, even more than I admire him for having won 14 Roland-Garros. The fact that he still wants and is able to do what he does, at his age, with all these injuries, it’s amazing“, observes Mats Wilander, also amazed by the Majorcan.
On a purely statistical level, if he offered himself a new Petit Slam in two weeks, Nadal would not have officially achieved his greatest season since it would be “only” his 5th won tournament of the season (against 7 in 2010 ). Perhaps a first victory at the Masters next November would close the debate. But one thing is certain: if he were to win at Flushing, he would write a new page in his legend. And arguably the most beautiful.
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