Rafael Nadal will finish the season inside the top-2, becoming the oldest player to achieve that at 35. Rafa claimed two Major titles in 2022, standing alone at 22 notable titles and leaving Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer behind.
Still, it was not enough to earn him an ATP throne, struggling with injuries and finishing the season with four ATP titles, none after Roland Garros. Speaking about his run in 2022, Nadal stated it was marked with injuries.
Rafa skipped the second part of 2021 and made a perfect comeback this year. The Spaniard claimed his first Australian Open title in 13 years and backed it by another trophy in Acapulco. Rafa’s first setback came in Indian Wells, fracturing his rib and experiencing the season’s first loss in the title clash against Taylor Fritz.
The veteran skipped his favorite events in Monte Carlo and Barcelona and lost crucial points in the year-end no. 1 battle. Rafa returned to action in May and failed to impress in Madrid and Rome. He experienced early losses and gathered dark clouds over his Roland Garros chances.
With a foot injury bothering him again, Nadal needed injections to endure all the efforts in Paris. The king of clay defeated Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud for his 14th Roland Garros title from 18 trips to the French capital.
Hoping for more at Wimbledon, Rafa advanced into the last four despite a seven-millimeter abdominal tear. The Spaniard prevailed over Taylor Fritz in the quarter-final in a five-setter and withdrew ahead of the Nick Kyrgios clash.
Nadal needed months to recover, never finding the rhythm from the opening months. He experienced an early US Open loss to Frances Tiafoe and missed a chance to become world no.
1. Rafa stayed away from the court for two months and returned to action at the Paris Masters. Nadal lost to Tommy Paul in the second round after losing steam in the decider. Eager to get more matches by the end of the year, the Spaniard entered his 11th ATP Finals and fell to Taylor Fritz and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
With no rhythm or encounters in his legs, Rafa lost the crucial points and embraced four consecutive losses for the first time since the end of 2009! The legend changed that in the season’s last official match, beating Casper Ruud 7-5, 7-5 to deliver his first victory as a father and wrap up the season in a winning way.
“The season behind us had very different phases and was entirely marked by physical issues. However, everything changed when we found an effective treatment for my troubled foot; that has helped me a lot. That radically changed the perspective of my continuity in high-level tennis,” Rafael Nadal said.
