La Decima has now crumbled. With a wrist injury derailing his shot at a tenth title at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal withdrew yesterday from the French Open, crushing the dreams of the Spaniard’s many fans.
The fourth seed had won his first and second round matches – against Australia’s Sam Groth and Argentine Facundo Bagnis in straight sets, leading many to believe he was well on his way to another title, or building up the momentum to do so.
The 29-year-old showed no indications of the injury leading up to his third round match against compatriot Marcel Granollers - one that he would have been expected to win.
Still the most successful player at the French Open with nine titles, Nadal has had some brilliant matches here.
We look at five of his best:
Semi-final against Roger Federer, 2005
World No 5 and fourth seed Rafael Nadal was only 18 and participating in his first ever French Open. Up against then World No. 1 Roger Federer in the semi-finals, the Spaniard had dropped only a single set en route.
That was a victory nearly everyone would have called as Federer’s, but Nadal drew blood to scalp the first set off Federer. On his 19th birthday, Nadal pulled off a four-set win over the Swiss Maestro to progress to the finals at his first French Open appearance.
He would go on to face Mariano Puerta in the finals in what would be the Argentine’s only Grand Slam final appearance; Nadal dropped a close first set, but then went on to win the remaining three in decisive fashion to take the first of his nine French Open titles on first appearance.
2006 Final against Roger Federer
Already a title defender in his second appearance at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal was seeded second at the French Open that year. Federer had only dropped a single set en route to the finals, and had already won the previous 3 consecutive Grand Slams. The Swiss was looking to be the first man since Australian legend Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four Grand Slam titles at once, and given his prowess and form in 2006, was widely expected to win.
The reigning champion at every other Slam, Federer was looking to avenge his 2005 defeat, and did in fact get onto a positive start, decimating Nadal in the first set 6-1. Initially caught on the back foot, Nadal returned the favour immediately in the next set, winning the next two sets.
Despite being taxed by Federer in the final set, which went to a tiebreak, Nadal recovered to win 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 and successfully defend his French Open title – the second grand slam of his career.
2014 Final against Novak Djokovic
Fresh off a semi-final battle the previous year, one that had seen Nadal come out on top to eventually win the title, the two faced each other again at the finals the following year. The four-time defending champion at Roland Garros was the top seed at the tournament, and only dropped a single set – in the quarterfinals.
That had been against his compatriot and 2013 French Open rival David Ferrer, and was the only blip in an otherwise spotless record at that year’s claycourt slam.
Djokovic had had a similarly strong run of form, and the two were locked in yet another battle – that for the position of World No. 1 – before the start of the tournament.
The Serb came into the match having defeated his Spanish rival four consecutive times, and could have been the favourite to win. Immediately, he took the first set off Nadal 6-3, and, down a break in the second set, even managed to level the Spaniard.
It looked as though there would be a new French Open champion that year – and then Nadal battled back. Taking advantage of Djokovic’s inability at the time to handle pressure, Nadal pushed as he won the match 3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–4.
That would be his record ninth French Open title.
2010 Final against Robin Soderling
23rd seeded Swede Robin Soderling had defeated Rafael Nadal in the fourth round of the French Open in 2009 despite Nadal having been the favourite to win, defending four consecutive titles at the venue.
The Spaniard had yet to lose a match at Roland Garros, but it was Soderling who marred that statistic with his win in 2009. The following year, the Swede reached the finals after a victory over Roger Federer, and faced Nadal in the finals.
Now playing for revenge, the King of Clay took on the Giant Slayer and displayed the full extent of his athletic form on the court. Despite Soderling taking his Spanish rival to break point four times, Nadal fended off each as he blazed through successive games to take a straight sets 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victory.
against John Isner, 1R 2011
Fresh off his epic 11-hour match against Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon the previous year, the tall American met Nadal at the first round of the 2011 French Open. The pair had met two times previously, both the previous year. The two had faced off once each on hardcourts and clay, with Nadal coming out on top each time, although Isner had managed to take a set off the Spaniard on hardcourts.
In only their third appearance against each other, it was Isner who seriously troubled Nadal, the reigning champion, that year. The King of Clay won the first set easily – 6-4, following which Isner put in a solid fight as he dragged Nadal to tiebreaks in the subsequent two sets – winning both.
Displaying his true stamina on clay, Nadal powered through a mammoth four-hour, five set match as he commandeered the final two sets to win 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-4.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
