The Undisputed King of Clay

When Nadal hit the scene in the early 2000s, he earned the title "King of Clay." His domination on clay courts is nothing short of legendary.

Here are some of his most jaw-dropping accomplishments:

• Unrivaled French Open Mastery 

  Nadal has won 14 French Open titles in 19 attempts, securing victories in a flawless 112 out of 116 matches—a level of greatness no one has ever achieved at a single tournament.

• Rare Defeats

  Only three players have managed to topple Nadal at Roland Garros: Robin Soderling in 2009, Novak Djokovic in 2015 and 2021, and Alexander Zverev.

• Perfect Runs

  Four times—2008, 2010, 2017, and 2020—Nadal clinched the French Open title as he swept through the competition with no single set surrendered.
  

• Unbeatable in Finals
  Nadal’s grip on the French Open finals was so strong that he never needed five sets to seal the victory in his championship matches.

In his first final, he beat Argentina's Mariano Puerta 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 to win his first major, becoming the second man after Mats Wilander in 1982 to win the French Open on his debut.

More Than Just the Clay Master

Over time, Nadal is known for his clay-court dominance, but he’s no one-trick pony. Over the years, he’s proven himself on every surface.

Check out some of his other standout achievements:

• Record-Breaking Grand Slam Titles

  Nadal won his 21st Grand Slam title at the 2022 Australian Open, surpassing Federer’s tally of 20 and leading the race for most Grand Slams at the time.

• Olympic Gold in Beijing 

  In 2008, Nadal won the Olympic gold medal in Beijing. Top seed Federer was knocked out in the quarterfinals, clearing the path for Nadal, defeating Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and Fernando Gonzalez in the final.

• First Hard Court Grand Slam Victory 

  Nadal won his first hard-court Grand Slam at the 2009 Australian Open, where he fed Federer dust in a five-set final.

  In his first hard-court major final, Nadal, still fresh despite a tough semifinal, beat Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2. He became the first Spaniard to win the Australian Open and the first man in the Open era to hold three major titles on three different surfaces simultaneously.

• Youngest Davis Cup Champion 

  At 18, Nadal became the youngest player to win a singles match in the Davis Cup final over Andy Roddick in 2004, helping Spain secure victory.

  To fully grasp the magnitude of that win, Rafa had never beaten Roddick before. In their only previous meeting, three months earlier at the US Open, Roddick had defeated Nadal in straight sets during a night match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Roddick was the defending champion and recent Wimbledon runner-up, while Nadal was still recovering from a foot injury.

• Career Golden Slam

  By winning the 2010 US Open, Nadal completed his "Career Golden Slam," having already captured titles at the French Open, Wimbledon, and Olympic gold in 2008.

  This victory made Nadal the second man after Agassi to complete a Career

  Golden Slam, including Olympic singles gold. He was also the first to win majors on clay, grass, and hard courts in the same year, and the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open in a single year.

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