Rafael Nadal has a long list of comebacks after major injuries. Throughout his career of over two decades, he has made a triumphant return after a long injury break multiple times. As the Spaniard readies for yet another addition to this list, a fan on X (formerly Twitter) curated a compilation of all the major comebacks he has made.
Nadal will be seen in action at the 2024 Brisbane International, a build-up tournament to the Australian Open. He last played in the second round of the 2023 AO, losing to Mackenzie McDonald after fighting through injuries. Since then, he has undergone surgeries and has been recuperating. Speculations are rife that this will be the former World No.1’s farewell season.
The tennis fraternity awaits what could possibly be the last Nadal comeback. On that note, here are eight times Rafael Nadal bounced back after serious injuries (as compiled by @Zwxsh on X):-
1. Rafael Nadal faced his first major injury in 2004
Making his debut as a 15-year-old in 2001, Nadal faced his first significant injury just three years later. Playing at the 2004 Estoril Open, an ATP 250 event that kickstarts the European clay season, he suffered a stress fracture in his left ankle in early April.
He won his second-round clash against Richard Gasquet but was diagnosed with the injury after the match. He missed two Majors, the French Open and the Wimbledon, as he had to sit out for three months.
Nadal returned in July after his 18th birthday. While he did not get back to his best straight away, he secured his first ATP Tour title. He won the Prokom Open (later the Warsaw Open) after defeating World No.105 Jose Acasuso in the final. The tournament, part of the now-defunct ATP International Series, was the first of a whopping 92 ATP titles Nadal has won so far.
2. 2005-06
In October 2005, Rafael Nadal reached the final of the Madrid Masters, looking for his fourth ATP 1000 trophy of the year. He beat Ivan Ljubicic after trailing by two sets in the final to complete the feat but got injured in the process. His left foot injury caused him to miss the year-end Tennis Masters Cup. He was also forced to skip the 2006 Australian Open, resuming tennis only in February.
Nadal reached the semi-final of the Open 13 in Marseille and lifted the 2006 Dubai Tennis Championships title within weeks of his return. He beat Roger Federer in the final of the latter, snapping his 56-match unbeaten run on hard courts. The Spaniard then had a winning streak of his own, going 24-0 in the clay season.
3. 2008-09
Nadal’s recurring knee tendinitis issue surfaced again in late 2008 as he withdrew from the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters. He again sat out of the Tennis Masters Cup and also missed the Davis Cup.
However, he bounced back with a bang to win the 2009 Australian Open, his first hardcourt Grand Slam title. Just weeks after returning from a serious issue, he defeated Federer in an iconic five-set final. He got to the semi-finals without losing a set, before facing compatriot Fernando Verdasco in the semi-finals. The two Spaniards toiled for 5 hours and 14 minutes, the second-longest match in Australian Open history.
4. Rafael Nadal bounced back to have a stunning 2013 after injury in 2012
Nadal’s tendinitis flared up in 2012 again, as he skipped the Miami Masters to manage his schedule. However, his problem came back to haunt him as he was forced to prematurely end his season after an early Wimbledon exit. He lost in the second round to Lukas Rosol. He also pulled out of the London Olympics. His struggles were compounded by a stomach bug that saw him miss the 2013 Australian Open.
Nadal marked his return by progressing to the final of the Chile Open and winning the Brasil Open in February. He had a stunning season in 2013, winning five ATP Masters titles and two Grand Slams, the French Open and the US Open. In doing so, he became only the third player to complete the Summer Slam, i.e., win the Cincinnati Masters, Canadian Open, and the US Open in the same year.
5. 2016-17
An unfortunate wrist injury meant Rafael Nadal had to withdraw from the 2016 edition of his favorite Slam. He pulled out of this third-round fixture at the French Open and also missed the Wimbledon. Despite winning a men’s doubles gold at the Rio Olympics, his persistent wrist issues saw him struggle for the entire year. After an early exit at the Shanghai Masters, he called the curtains on his season, again missing the ATP Finals.
His 2017 return got off to a great start as he made it to the 2017 Australian Open final. He lost to Federer but did not let the defeat deter his season. He won his 10th French Open title and his third US Open title, in addition to two ATP 1000 wins. This was a much-needed shot in the arm for Nadal after two torrid years (2015 and 2016) where he won no Majors.
6. 2018
Nadal withdrew midway from his quarter-final against eventual runner-up Marin Cilic in the 2018 Australian Open due to a hip injury. He returned in April to help Spain in the quarters of the Davis Cup World Group.
Nadal embarked on a great clay season run, going 24-1. He lifted his 11th Roland Garros championship and also his 11th Monte Carlo Masters title, while also bagging the Italian Open. He also won the Canadian Open but his season would soon go awry.
7. Rafael Nadal suffered injuries again in 2018-19
Yet another premature end to a season for Rafael Nadal in 2018. He retired midway through his semi-final at the US Open against Juan Martin del Potro due to knee pain. He concluded his season there, missing the ATP Finals yet again.
Nadal came back strongly in 2019, making it to the finals of the AO. He bagged his 12th French Open and fourth US Open, adding two ATP 1000s. He reached at least the semi-finals of all the Masters events he participated in. The Spaniard also won the Davis Cup and finished as the Year-End No.1 aged 32.
8. 2021-22
Nadal played only 11 matches in 2021. He managed to win the Italian Open but a serious reoccurrence of his chronic knee issue saw him withdraw saw him miss the Wimbledon and the US Open. He underwent surgery and did not take to the court after Roland Garros.
Despite coming back from a severe injury, Nadal started 2022 with a 20-match win streak. He lifted the Australian Open to win a historic 21st Grand Slam, pulling one clear of Roger Federer as the all-time leader in men’s singles. He struggled with regular knee issues and won no ATP Masters titles in 2022. However, he bagged his 22nd Majors soon, winning the French Open, his 14th title in Paris.
