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Rafael Nadal has been suffering from injuries all over his career. The World No. 1 turned professional in the year 2001 and since then, his 17-year career has been wrecked by injuries.
The Spaniard has been agonized by injuries almost every year. Despite the injury-prone career, Nadal has not just sustained, but has flourished to become one of the greatest players ever in tennis. Though the Mallorcan is one of the most successful athletes in a sport, he has missed some very significant opportunities to win more Grand Slams in his career.
Here are 3 absolute chances missed by Rafael Nadal to claim a Major title, having been forced to retire from a match due to injury:
#1 Australian Open 2010
The 17-time Grand Slam champion has had the worst and best time at the Australian Open. Nadal has lifted the Australian Open trophy only once in his career. Rafa has suffered from injuries multiple times at the Australian Open after winning it in 2009.
He was denied winning four straight Majors by a hamstring injury against David Ferrer in the 2011 quarter-finals. The most excruciating injury was in the 2014 Australian Open final against Stan Wawrinka. Nadal suffered from a back injury in the warm-up and a blister in the palm. The Spaniard couldn't go through to the semi-finals of Australian Open this year because of a leg injury as he was forced to retire against Marin Cilic in the quarter-finals.
Nadal has been cursed by injuries in Melbourne year by year. He has retired from a Grand Slam match only thrice in his 17-year long career, two of which came in the Australian Open. The first retirement from a Grand Slam match came in 2010 against Andy Murray in the quarter-finals. Nadal was troubled by a knee injury that curbed his free play, resulting in him trailing two sets and three games to love, when he called it quits. The Spaniard was the defending champion as he won his first Australian Open in 2009.
Nadal said, "When I have the chance to play, I never retire. I felt the pain was still there. It happened at the end of the second set. I felt a similar thing to what I had last year so it was impossible to win the match."
#2 Australian Open 2018
It was déjà vu for Rafael Nadal as he was forced to retire in the quarter-finals against Marin Cilic in 2018, just like in 2010 quarter-finals against Andy Murray. The Spaniard's hopes of Australian Open glory faded as he couldn't compete any more in this year;s Australian Open and retired while trailing in the fifth set in the quarterfinal match. The scoreline read 6-3, 3-6, 7-6, 2-6, 0-2 for Nadal when he chose to retire from the match.
Nadal couldn't convert 5 break points in the first game of the final set before Cilic broke his serve. The 32-year-old then went on to shake hands with the umpire and Marin Cilic. Nadal was disappointed and angry as he threw the headband into his kit bag.
Nadal felt a muscle pain in the upper right leg during the third set but he opted to continue playing. It only got worse as the fourth set progressed, but he didn't realize then how bad it was.
Nadal said, "Tough moments, not for the first time here. I am a positive person, but today was an opportunity to be in the semi-finals of an important title for me. It's really tough to accept."
#3 US Open 2018
Nadal has never defended a Grand Slam title outside of the clay of Roland Garros. The 32-year-old had a golden opportunity to change this stat in the US Open 2018. But the Spaniard retired in the semi-finals at the end of the second set against Juan Martin Del Potro.
Nadal was struggling because of a knee problem as he needed a medical attention twice in the match. The Argentine was leading 7-6(3), 6-2 when Nadal quit but the 17-time Grand Slam champion was struggling because of the knee injury right from the first set.
The World No. 1 even had problems in his right knee against Karen Khachanov in the third round. It has caused Nadal a lot of problems in his career and so it did on Friday at the Flushing Meadows, ending the run for an 18th Grand Slam title for Nadal.
Nadal said " It was difficult for me to keep playing. I was in too much pain. I hate retiring -- but to stay one more set out there playing like that is too much for me."
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
