Rafael Nadal expresses his gratitude upon winning the Esquire Man of the Year award for his outstanding 2022 season
Rafael Nadal with the Esquire Man of the Year award(Image: Screenshot taken from his official Instagram account)
World No 2 Rafael Nadal is regarded as one of the most successful tennis players of all time who has left millions inspired with his hard work, determination, and fighting spirit to win each possible point. His list of accolades and achievements is unmatched and needs no introduction. Recently, the Mallorcan has been voted as the Man of the Year by Esquire magazine for his splendid performances in 2022.
His foot injury hampered the second half of the 2021 season but made a strong comeback to dominate the first half of 2022. Moreover, his performances were again hindered in the second half of the season due to an untimely abdominal injury that keep him out of action for weeks. Rafael Nadal could not win many matches post his injury and was even eliminated in the fourth round of the US Open.
The former World No 1 added another feather to his cap by winning the Man of the Year award. He posted a heartfelt message on his social media account on Instagram to thank Esquire magazine and everyone who voted for him for the honor. He even claimed that he is quite excited to receive it and with the presence of the esteemed guests.
It had been a great year for him as he won the Australian Open title for the second time and the French Open for the record 14th time. With winning two consecutive Grand Slam titles, he surpassed Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the number of most Grand Slam singles titles won by a player in the Open Era with his tally of 22. He also won two other titles on the ATP Tour – the Adelaide Open and Acapulco Open. Rafael Nadal’s consistent performances saw him rise in rankings and finish second having started the season ranked 6th.
Rafael Nadal has been voted as the Fans Favorite at the 2022 ATP Awards
Despite failing to win a title at ATP Finals, he ended the year on a winning note. He defeated the young Norwegian Casper Ruud in the final match of the round-robin stage. He became the oldest player to end the year being ranked in the Top 2 in the history of the ATP rankings.
Rafael Nadal’s results saw him get a couple of nominations at the 2022 ATP Awards. In the fan’s based voting poll, the Spaniard has been voted as the Fans’ Favorite player of the Year, winning the award for the first time in his illustrious career. With the win, the former World No 1 ended Roger Federer’s streak of winning 19 consecutive titles as Fans’ Favorite from 2003 to 2021.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion will kickstart his 2023 campaign by participating in the United Cup that begins in Australia on the 29th of December 2022. In the mixed-gender team event, Rafael Nadal will be leading his compatriots as they look to win the inaugural edition of the tournament before he defends his title at the Australian Open.
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Prateek Pradhan
(601 Articles Published)