Rafael Nadal breaks ‘THIS’ record of Jimmy Connors to create history
Follow Us
Rafael Nadal
20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal continues to shatter records even at the age of 35 having played only half-season. The Spaniard played a total of 11 tournaments in 2021 winning 2 titles, the ATP-500 Barcelona Open for the 12th time in his career and then won the 2021 Rome Masters for the 10th time in his career, both being record wins at the tournaments.
Nadal played only two Grand Slam events this year. At the 2021 Australian Open, he made it to the quarter-finals before losing in 5-sets to Stefanos Tsitsipas who was 0-2 down going into the 3rd set. It was just the 2nd time in a Grand Slam match that Nadal blew a 2-0 lead and lost the match.
Defending his title at the 2021 French Open, Nadal lost in the semi-finals to Novak Djokovic in a thrilling 4-setter in what was just his 3rd loss at the Slam in Paris. During his run in Paris, he injured his foot which eventually forced him to withdraw from the 2021 Wimbledon and could play only the 2021 Washington Open before ending his 2021 season due to consistent issues with the foot.
Having started the year as World No. 2, Nadal’s absence from the tournaments and the rise of young players, his ranking slipped to World No. 6 after the conclusion of the 2021 ATP Finals, the final tournament of the season on the Tour. With another Top-10 finish at the end of the year, Nadal now has spent 17 consecutive years being ranked in the Top-10.
Nadal broke the record originally held by Jimmy Connors who was in the Top-10 from 1973 to 1988. Behind Connors is Roger Federer who spent 14 consecutive years in the Top-10 from 2002 to 2015.
Rafael Nadal sets eyes on comeback in 2022
Nadal in his bid to prepare for the 2022 season will be making a mini-comeback at the 2021 Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi where he is the most successful player having won the title 5 times and is also the defending champion this year.
With Federer out of contention for at least the 1st half of the 2022 season given his recovery from surgery and Djokovic’s refusal to comment on his vaccination status that can result in him not being able to play the 2022 Australian Open. With two of his fellow 20-time Grand Slam champions out of the next Slam, the Spaniard can become the first to win 21 Grand Slam titles if he wins in Melbourne next year.
Also Read: “Rafael Nadal will win the 21st Grand Slam first”: Jim Courier
Stay Updated!
Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)