Rafael Nadal suffered an unfortunate injury, drawing the curtain on his much-anticipated 2024 Australian Open campaign even before it began. This will be the first time since 2013 that the Spaniard will completely miss the tournament. Upon returning after his recovery, he dominated the rest of the season.
Nadal participated in the Brisbane International after a year-long injury layoff. He fell to Jordan Thompson in the quarter-finals despite having three match points. After the match, the former World No.1 admitted an injury could see him miss the 2024 Australian Open.
The worst fears came true. Nadal confirmed a micro tear in his leg muscles, requiring about three months of rehab. This news squashed a much-publicised return to the Australian Open. He has appeared in 10 consecutive editions, last skipping the tournament only in 2013. While he may be a decade older now, he will draw inspiration from how he reigned supreme upon his comeback all those years ago.
Nadal’s 2012 season ended early after his chronic knee tendinitis flared up, causing him to miss the London Olympics as well. After sitting out for the 2013 Australian Open, Nadal hit the ground running after his return. He made it to the final of an ATP 250 and won another, before also bagging the Mexican Open. He carried his momentum on to lift the Indian Wells Masters title, also finishing runner-up in the Monte-Carlo Masters.
Rightfully called the King of Clay, Nadal dominated the clay season in 2013. He won the French Open, the Madrid Open, and the Italian Open. He did not slow down in the North American hardcourt swing despite a shocking first-round Wimbledon exit. Nadal won the Cincinnati Masters, Canadian Open, and the US Open, becoming only the third player to complete the Summer Slam. He also made it to the final of the ATP Finals.
Overall, Nadal won two Grand Slams and five ATP 1000 titles in a single season the last time he missed the Australian Open completely. While he is definitely not the same player he was in 2013, he can take heart from that year. Many peg him to win the 2024 French Open, and he could find the motivation from his 2013 season to live up to the expectations for one big hurrah before retirement.
Rafael Nadal track record at the Australian Open
From 2013 to 2023, Rafael Nadal appeared in all editions of the Australian Open. In fact, since his first campaign Down Under in 2004, he has skipped the event only twice, 2024 being the third. Overall, he has featured 18 times, joint-highest with his favorite slam, the French Open. For comparison, he played 15 Wimbledon Championships and 16 US Open titles.
While Nadal boasts 14 titles from 18 French Open appearances, he has won the Australian Open only twice. This is largely due to Novak Djokovic’s domination in Melbourne. Nadal first won the AO in 2009, defeating Roger Federer for his first hardcourt Grand Slam. He had to wait 13 years for his second, lifting the trophy in 2022. Notably, Djokovic was absent that year because of his anti-vaccination controversy.
Nadal has reached the final of the Australian Open four times. He lost to Djokovic in 2012 and 2019 and to the Swiss duo of Federer and Stan Wawrinka in 2017 and 2014, respectively. Nadal hasn’t always had great success at the Australian Open but his legacy will be sorely missed in 2024.
