Rafael Nadal’s astonishing 18-year streak in danger due to injury
Rafael Nadal could lose an 18-year record due to an injury he picked up at the 2023 Australian Open.
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Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal has arguably been one of the greatest tennis players of all time. For those uninitiated, the Spaniard has shattered several records over his professional career and is still going strong in his mid-30s. The 36-year-old has suffered several injuries over the course of the last 18 years; however, he has always managed to find a way back to the top.
Rafael Nadal holds the record for spending the most consecutive weeks in the top 10 rankings. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has spent 908 consecutive weeks at the top, which is 120 weeks more than second-placed Jimmy Connors. Roger Federer sits third on this list, with 734 weeks at the top.
However, Rafael Nadal’s recent injury at the 2023 Australian Open could put his record in danger. The Spaniard suffered a hip flexor injury at the first Grand Slam of the year, during his second-round loss against Mackenzie McDonald.
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Rafael Nadal could drop out of the top 10 rankings
Rafael Nadal will most certainly return to action only during the clay court season. This means he could make a comeback on the tour at the Monte Carlo Masters. The veteran has already withdrawn Doha and Dubai Open. Additionally, he will also lose the 500 points he claimed when he won the Acapulco Open title last year.
Rafael Nadal is currently ranked sixth with 3815 points to his name, just 100 more than Felix Auger Aliassime. World number eight, Taylor Fritz, has 3410 points, who are followed by Holger Rune and Hubert Hurkacz. The Spaniard is also expected to miss the Indian Wells and Miami Masters in the next couple of months, which will see him lose further points.
Rafael Nadal’s title defense at the 2023 Australian Open came to an early conclusion after he was knocked out only in the second round. The 36-year-old picked up an injury toward the end of the second set, which pretty much restricted his movement in the final set. The 14-time French Open champion will look to recover in time for the clay court season, where he could propel himself up the rankings chart.
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