Rafael Nadal competed thefinal season in a career, 23 years after kicking off his professional tennis journey! Rafa played his last match at the Davis Cup Finals in Malag. The legend fellto Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets, wrapping up the year with a 12-8 score.
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The Spaniard missed the most of 2023 after injuring his hip at the Australian Open. Eager to end a career on his terms, the veteran bounced back at the beginning of 2024, embracing 20 duels before saying farewell to his beloved sport. Rafa could not find his old form and rhythm.
The 22-time Major champion struggled against the better-ranked rivals, notching only one top-15 triumph. Overall, Nadal produced five top-90 wins, and we will examine themin a testimony of the legend's unmatched fighting spirit.
Nadal tops Marton Fucsovics at the Olympic Games
Rafa's fifth-best triumph of the season came at his beloved Roland Garros during his last Olympic Games.The king of clay ousted world no. 86 Marton Fucsovics 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 on Court Philippe-Chatrier in the second round, producing the last victory of his career.
The Spaniard sealed the deal in two and a half hours, making a reliable start and sealing the deal in the decider.Rafa denied eight of ten break points and clinched four breaks to emerge at the top.Nadal opened his fourth Olympic Games in style, breaking his rival in the second game.
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The legend fired forehand winners in games three and five for a 4-1 advantage. Nadal cracked a forehand down the line winner in game six for another break, extending the gap and serving for the opener. He created three set points with an ace and seized the first with a backhand winner for 6-1.
Marton dropped the opener in 32 minutes and bounced back in set number two. He landed a forehand winner in the second game for a break and produced two holds for 4-1. Nadal saved two break points in the sixth game and grabbed a late break at 3-5 to prolong the set.
However, Rafa struggled on serve at 4-5. He saved two set points but experienceda break on the third after a wayward drop shot attempt. The Spaniard missed two break points at the beginning of the decider and closed the second game with a smash winner.
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The veteran made a push on the return at 1-1, squandering two more break points and a chance to move in front. The Hungarian created three break points at 2-1. The home favorite denied them and brought the game home for 2-2 and more drama.
Rafa clinched a break in the fifth gameand saved a break point in the next one for 4-2. The king of clay held at love for 5-3 and served for the win at 5-4.He seized the third match point with a forehand down the line winner, clinching his 1080th and final ATP victory.
Rafa beats Flavio Cobolli in Barcelona
Nadal missed over three months in the season's early stages following the Brisbane setback. The veteran returned to action in April in Barcelona, competing on the court that carries his name. Rafa faced world no. 62 Flavio Cobolli and earned a rock-solid 6-2, 6-3 victory.
The veteran ousted the young gun in an hour and 26 minutes, making a winning comeback and earning his first victory on clay in almost two years. Nadal tamed his strokes nicely and welcomed Cobolli's mistake to control the scoreboard and sail over the top.
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The Spaniard suffered one break in the second set and clinched four return gamesto control the pace and earn a win. The home favorite lost five points on serve in the opening set and converted two of eight break opportunities. Flavio struggled on serve in the fourth game.
The young Italian denied two break points before the Spaniard grabbed the third and moved in front.Rafa moved 4-1 up with a service winner and generated four break points in the next one. Cobolli saved them and held with a service winner for 2-4. Nadal held at love in the seventh game.
He made another push on the return at 5-2. Rafa welcomedthe rival's forehand error on a set point and securedthe first part of the duel in style. Nadal denied a break point at the beginning of the second set with a drop shot winner and notched a break in the next one for 2-0.
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Rafa got broken in the third game but delivered another return game in the next one after Flavio's double fault. The home favorite landed a service winner for 4-1 and produced another fine hold for 5-2. The 22-time Major winner served for the win at 5-3.
He held at 15 and celebrated his first victory in 100 days.
Nadal downs Cameron Norrie in Bastad
Rafa returned to Bastad for the first time in 19 years, using it as the final Olympic Games preparation. The Spaniard beat Leo Borg in the first round and faced world no. 42 Cameron Norrie in the second. The king of clay delivered a 6-4, 6-4 win, his third-best of the season.
The Spaniard sealed the deal in an hour and 43 minutes, remaining perfect against the Briton on clay.Nadal served at 72% and saved three of four break points. He stole 41% of the return points and provided three breaks from seven opportunities. Cameron led 4-1 in the second set.
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However, he lost the ground and allowed Rafa to rattle off five games and move over the top. Norrie served well early on and reached deuces on the return at 3-2.Rafaheld and stepped in on the return in the next one, earning break points with a drop shot winner.
The Briton saved them before spraying a forehand error on the first, moving 4-3 behind.The Spaniard closed the eighth game with winners, opening a 5-3 gap and serving for the opener in game ten. Nadal saved two break chances and fired two powerful serves for 6-4 in 49 minutes.
Norrie saved a break point at the beginning of the second set. Hedelivered a break in the fourth game after the rival's wayward forehand. Cameron saved a break point in the next one and fired a backhand winner for 4-1. Rafa stepped in at that moment and rattled off 20 of the final 23 points!
He held at 15 in the sixth game with a service winner and painted a backhand winner in the next one for a break at love, reducing the gap to 4-3. The Spaniard held at love for 4-4 and fired anotherbackhandwinner a few minutes later for 5-4 and a boost.
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The Spaniard hit service winners in the tenth game, moving over the top and reaching his first quarter-final in Bastad in five years.
RafaedgesMarianoNavonein a cracker!
A day later, the veteran battled against world no. 36 Mariano Navone in the quarter-final. The 38-year-old prevailed 6-7, 7-5, 7-5 in three hours and 59 minutes, embracing one of the most extended three-setters of his career.It was Nadal's most extended match of the season, and he did well to emerge at the top.
They pushed each other to the limits in all three sets. Rafa stepped in and provided late breaks in sets two and three for a place in the last four. Nadal claimed ten points more than his rival, although he could have lost. There were 36 break points and 18 successful return games!
The Spaniard saved seven of 15 break points and responded with ten breaks on his tally from 21 opportunities. The veteran reduced the number of errors in the pivotal moments and created a slim advantage in the quickest and more advanced exchanges.
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Rafa got broken three times in the first set. He overcame the deficit and forced a tie break, losing it 7-2 after Navone's four mini-breaks. The Argentine erased a 3-0 deficit in the second set and forged a 5-4 advantage. The veteran stepped in and secured the final three games, stealing the set 7-5.
The king of clay forced a decider and earned three breaks in a row for 5-2. He served for the win in games eight and ten, with Mariano pulling both breaks back and extending an incredible drama. The more experienced player kept his composure.
Rafa secured a break in the 11th game and moved over the top with a fine hold at 6-5.
Nadal clinches the only top-15 victory in Madrid
Rafa's top-ranked victory of the season in terms of the rival's ranking came at Caja Magica in Madrid. The home favorite defeated world no. 11 Alex de Minaur 7-6, 6-3, avenging the Barcelona Open defeat. Nadal prevailed in the opener and played better on serve and return in set number two.
The Spaniard lost serve two times and clinched four return games from five opportunities. They fought for nearly 80 minutes in the opener, and Rafa was off to a better start. The veteran earned a break in the second game before getting broken in the next one on the rival's third break opportunity.
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Nadal experienced a break in the seventh game, spraying errors and losing serve at love. He pulled it back straight away and produced a comfortable hold for 5-4. The set went into a tie break, and Rafa wasted four set points at 6-2! He squandered them, bringing Alex to 6-6.
Nadal landed a backhand crosscourt winner in the 13th point and converting the fourth set pointfora massive boost.De Minaur suffered a break at the beginning of the second set and found himself 3-1 behind after Nadal's hold at love three games later.
Rafa closed the sixth game from 0-30 and painted a backhand crosscourt winner for a 4-2 advantage.The Spaniard moved 5-3 up with a hold at love and made a push on the return in the next one. He fired abackhand crosscourt winner for two match points.
The home favorite seized the second after the rival's double fault, earning his season-best victory of the season.
