Rafael Nadal did not have the comeback he was hoping for in the 2024 season, which turned out to be the final one in his professional career. Yet, the 22-time Grand Slam champion gave his ardent fans all over the world numerous memories from this season to cherish.
Despite being frequently sidelined by injuries, Nadal never truly lost his touch. Those were enough to help him win some incredible points, even at the age of 38. Here’s a rewind of some of his very best points of the year.
Nadal wins a 360-degree point vs Bergs (Rome Masters 2024)
During the first round of the Rome Masters 2024, Zizou Bergs was given little chance against the ‘King of Clay.’ But he proved to be quite a handful for the Spaniard on that day.
The third set was set up beautifully at 1-1, 15-15, with Nadal on serve. Bergs’ return stunned Nadal, who had to react quickly as the ball nearly landed on his foot on the baseline. However, in the process, the legend slipped on the clay.
He stood up and turned 360 degrees, all within a couple of seconds, and went to the center of the court. The remarkable display of athleticism and presence of mind allowed him to respond with a forehand.
After that, Nadal and Bergs played 10 more shots in the rally before the veteran sealed the point with a drop shot.
Nadal pulled off a near-impossible point vs Djokovic (Olympics 2024)
Nadal looked way past his prime in his blockbuster clash against Novak Djokovic at the Paris Olympics. However, the Spaniard still managed to produce a point that was worthy of a standing ovation.
Nadal was beaten soundly in the first set 1-6 and found himself 0-4 down in the second. But he threatened to pull off a comeback when he reduced the deficit to 3-4. At 30-40, Djokovic served in an attempt to deny Nadal a second break in the set.
Djokovic was the more aggressive of the two on the baseline, looking to finish off the point after 10 shots in the rally. The Serb came forward, which compelled Nadal to aim for a defensive backhand lob. What followed was a series of back-to-back smashes by both players.
Nadal had the stronger smash, forcing Djokovic to barely keep the ball in the court. This allowed the 14-time Roland Garros champion to step forward and play a cross-court forehand passing shot, sending the crowd into a loud roar.
Nadal fires an on-the-run forehand passing shot vs Alcaraz (Netflix Slam 2024)
Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz played one of the most high-profile exhibition matches of the 2024 season, the Netflix Slam, in March. While Alcaraz went on to win the contest in Las Vegas, the veteran Spaniard showed glimpses of his old self. He saved as many as five match points against the in-form Wimbledon champion.
On the third match point, Nadal was down 8-9 in the third set shootout. He was serving to Alcaraz, who was looking to finish off the point from the baseline. But he erred by targeting his idol’s left side for the winner.
Nadal anticipated this and ran for the ball to play his trademark on-the-run forehand pass to which Alcaraz had no answer.
In fact, the shot reminded many viewers of Roger Federer’s backhand passing shot from the baseline against Nadal in the Wimbledon 2008 final. This was due to the eerily similar court positions of Federer, Nadal, and Alcaraz, respectively.
Nadal wins the no-look shot rally vs Thompson (Brisbane International 2024)
After a year of staying away from the sport due to a hip injury, the two-time Australian Open champion returned to action in the Brisbane International in January. He seemed to be in good touch when he came up against the young Australian, Jordan Thompson, in the quarterfinals.
Even though Nadal lost the match in the end, he remained extremely competitive in the first two sets. With the second set tied at 4-4 and Nadal at 40-0 on serve, he played an outstanding point.
Thompson came up with a fiery return, but Nadal managed to respond to that with a defensive backhand. The Aussie then attacked Nadal with a no-look drop shot.
However, Nadal quickly responded, reaching for the ball and playing a backhand passing shot away from Thompson for the winner. Nadal also pulled a no-look shot, which stunned Thompson and the crowd.
