Unfinished Business

By Arthur Kapetanakis

Record-Breaking Rafa

Six weeks before he lifted the Australian Open trophy, his record-breaking 21st Grand Slam singles crown, Rafael Nadal was not sure if he would ever compete on the ATP Tour again. A left-foot injury brought his 2021 season to an early end and doubts lingered through to the eve of the new season.

Against all odds, the Spaniard enjoyed one of the best years of his legendary career, sparked by a perfect start that saw him claim titles in his first three events. Nadal later won his 14th Roland Garros title and 22nd Grand Slam to cap a blistering first half of the season soon after his 36th birthday.

But Rafa's work is not done. In his 11th appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, the all-time great will look to claim the biggest trophy to elude him during his unprecedented career while also fighting to be crowned year-end No. 1. In this special feature we look back at his memorable year and his long history at the year-end event.

Rafael Nadal. Photo Credit: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Grand Slam King

"The biggest comeback of my tennis career"

Nadal's season-opening title at the Melbourne ATP 250 surprised many, perhaps even the Spaniard himself. But repeating the feat at the Australian Open seemed to be mission impossible.

The stakes were as high as ever, with Nadal entering the year's first major level with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic on a men's singles record 20 Grand Slams.

Seeded sixth at the Happy Slam, Nadal's first real scare came in the quarter-finals, when he found himself in a deciding set with Denis Shapovalov after surrendering a two-set lead. But Nadal survived and then bossed Matteo Berrettini in four to reach his sixth AO final.

That set the stage for Nadal to pull off what he called "without a doubt probably the biggest comeback of my tennis career".

Down two sets and a triple break point against Daniil Medvedev, Nadal delivered an iconic never-say-die performance to complete his shock trophy run with a 2-6, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 victory.

“It was one of the most emotional matches of my career,” Nadal said during the trophy ceremony. “It is amazing. To be honest, one and a half months ago I wasn’t sure if I was able to be back on the Tour playing tennis again."

Rafael Nadal celebrates his AO title. Photo Credit: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Rafal Nadal poses with the Acapulco trophy. Photo Credit: Hector Vivas/Getty Images.

Rafael Nadal in Acapulco. Photo Credit: Mextenis

Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal at Indian Wells. Photo Credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Career-Best Start

20 straight wins yield three titles

Nadal's perfect start carried on well beyond Melbourne, as the Spaniard remained undefeated through late March.

Three weeks after his AO triumph, Nadal blitzed through the Acapulco field without dropping a set to win the 91st title of his career. He dominated a rematch with Medvedev in the semi-finals before outclassing Cameron Norrie to win his fourth trophy at the ATP 500 event.

With victory against the Briton, Nadal extended his winning streak in tour-level finals to 11 and improved his 2022 record to 15-0. He would stretch that to 20-0 by reaching a fourth consecutive final in Indian Wells.

Daring In The Desert

Alcaraz rivalry renewed

Nadal's perfect start was nearly ended in the first round at Indian Wells, but he escaped a double-break deficit against home favourite Sebastian Korda in the third set before roaring to victory in a tie-break.

He also won three-setters against Nick Kyrgios and Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP Masters 1000 event before his win streak came to an end at 20 following a final loss to Taylor Fritz, during which he struggled with a rib fracture.

Nadal's semi-final showdown with Alcaraz, a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory for Rafa, was particularly memorable for the blustery conditions in which it was played. It was the second ATPHead2Head meeting between the countrymen, but the first since Alcaraz's emergence as a bona fide ATP Tour star.

"I took it like another semi-final match. He's not a young player that is 100 in the world and is coming. He is a top player already, so I treated it like that, playing against one of the best players in the world," Nadal said.

Nadal and Alcaraz would later make history by occupying the Top 2 spots in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in September, becoming the first players from the same nation to do so since Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras in 2000. It is the first time a country other than the United States has achieved that feat.

Rafael Nadal bites into the Coupe des Mousquetaires. Photo Credit: Adam Pretty/Getty Images

14th Roland Garros Crown

Back on top in Paris

Similar to the Australian Open, Nadal was far from 'full steam ahead' as he entered Roland Garros, despite his 13 previous titles on the terre battue. He posted a 3-2 record in two European clay-court events prior, and was visibly hampered by his lingering foot injury in a defeat to Denis Shapovalov less than two weeks before the year's second major.

But once again, Nadal found his best form in Paris. He cruised into the fourth round, then won a four-hour, 21-minute marathon in five sets against Felix Auger-Aliassime to set up a quarter-final showdown with Novak Djokovic.

In four sets of supreme quality, Nadal gained revenge on the 2021 Roland Garros champ, who knocked him out in the previous year's semi-finals.

"It has been a very emotional night for me. I'm still playing for nights like today," Nadal said in his post-match press conference.

Nadal was engaged in another titanic tussle against Alexander Zverev in the semis, but advanced after the German’s unfortunate ankle injury ended a thrilling match just as Nadal forced a second-set tie-break. The Spaniard summoned some magic to save four set points in the opening tie-break, and the match had more than three hours on the clock before its abrupt end.

For all the drama of Nadal's path to the final, his sky-high level in the title tilt ensured a straightforward victory against first-time Slam finalist Casper Ruud.

The victory extended Nadal's records to 22 Grand Slam singles titles and 14 Roland Garros crowns, and left him with an unfathomable 112-3 record at his favourite Slam. He also made personal history by winning both the Australian Open and Roland Garros in the same year for the first time.

"For me personally, it is very difficult to describe the feelings that I have. It is something that I have never believed, to be here at 36, being competitive again on the most important court of my career,” Nadal said during the trophy ceremony.

Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros. Photo Credit: Clive Bruinskill/Getty Images

Rafael Nadal with his Roland Garros trophy. Photo Credit: Adam Pretty/Getty Images

Nadal at Wimbledon. Photo Credit: Glyn Kirk/AFP vis Getty Images.

Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon. Photo Credit: AELTC/Joe Toth - Pool/Getty Images

Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon. Photo Credit: Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images

Wimbledon Heartbreak

Nadal advanced to SFs at third straight Slam

Following his Roland Garros title, Nadal stretched his win streak to 12 matches — and 19 at the majors — with a Wimbledon semi-final run. But his quest for the calendar-year Grand Slam was ended by an abdominal tear that forced his withdrawal before a showdown with Nick Kyrgios.

Nadal added another legendary comeback to his resume in the quarters against Taylor Fritz. His team implored him to retire after he had treatment on his abdomen early in the match, but Nadal managed to overturn a two-sets-to-one deficit before claiming victory in a 10-4 final-set tie-break.

“I wanted to finish,” he said. “Doesn't matter. I prefer to win with victory or defeat. That's what I did, I fought. I’m proud of the fighting spirit and the way that I managed to be competitive under those conditions.”

After taking some time off to heal, Nadal played just two tournaments during the hard-court swing, making a return in Cincinnati — where he dropped a three-setter to eventual champion Borna Coric — and then advancing to the US Open fourth round before a loss to home favourite Frances Tiafoe.

Rafael Nadal at the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals. Photo Credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Turin Debut

Nadal returns to Nitto ATP Finals

Nadal did not qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals in 2021, Turin's first year as host, but his 16 straight qualifications from 2005-20 are an all-time record. Nadal has now made the cut 17 times, the second-most in the event's history, and has competed 10 times at the year-end event.

Nadal clinched his spot in early September after a second-round win against Fabio Fognini at the US Open.

"Good news of course. One more year at the age of 36," Nadal said at the time. "Finish the year probably, if nothing goes wrong, in the Top 5. It's better than what we expected when we started the year."

Nadal enters the Nitto ATP Finals with a 38-16 record on the season and a chance to finish the season atop the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for a sixth time and first time since 2019. With World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz absent from Turin with an oblique injury, Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas have a chance to snatch the coveted honour away from the teen.

Nitto ATP Finals History

Nadal reached the final
in 2010 and 2013

With a 20-16 record in his 10 previous Nitto ATP Finals appearances, Nadal has advanced beyond the group stage on six occasions, including his most recent appearance in 2020.

In 2010, he took a perfect 4-0 record into the final with round-robin victories against Djokovic and Andy Roddick. Nadal edged Andy Murray in a semi-final thriller, 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(6) but lost a three-set final to record six-time champ Roger Federer. He was the only man to take a set off the Swiss on the week.

Nadal was also 4-0 in 2013, following round-robin wins against Stan Wawrinka, David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych with a straight-sets semi-final win against Federer. Though he could not get past Novak Djokovic in the final, he still finished the season as World No. 1.