Rafael Nadal might have retired in 2024, but his legacy still echoes across tennis courts everywhere.
People call him the “King of Clay” for a reason, but limiting him to just clay would be missing the full picture. The Spaniard also owned the hardcourts in his time. With six Grand Slam titles on hard surfaces—four at the US Open (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019) and two at the Australian Open (2009, 2022)—he showed that grit and greatness can translate across all terrains. Speaking of hardcourts, one of his most unforgettable wins didn’t come against the usual suspects—Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic. It came against Daniil Medvedev. That 2022 Australian Open final shocked everyone, including Rafa himself. Take a trip down memory lane with Nadal!
The victory didn’t just give Nadal another trophy to polish. It gave him history. The 2022 Australian Open win was his 21st Grand Slam title, breaking the men’s singles record at the time. Later that year, he picked up number 22 at Roland-Garros before Djokovic surpassed both legends in 2023, setting his record of 24 Grand Slams. But that Melbourne moment was something else. The 38-year-old became the fourth man to win every major at least twice. Even more impressively, he was the first man in the Open Era to win an Australian Open final after being two sets down. That’s not just a comeback. That’s a script-worthy plot twist. He had just a 4% chance of winning, according to the win predictor. Yep, four percent. But that’s Rafa. “Relentless Rafa,” as fans call him.
At the end of 2021, things weren’t looking great. A nagging foot injury had nearly ended his career. Nadal later admitted he was “very sick,” as he had been affected by coronavirus. The Spanish legend had only played one tournament since August of the previous year. But Djokovic had been deported, and Federer was nursing an injury. The stage was set, and Nadal wasn’t about to miss the show. He beat Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 6-7(5-7), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in a five-hour, 24-minute marathon. The final ended at 01:11 local time. It was his second Australian Open title, 13 years after his first.
Talking about that night, Nadal told AS in an interview, “I thought I was going to lose. But it was very important not to let myself go. I’ve been a player with a good capacity for self-control. I haven’t been a frustrated tennis player on the court, and accepting things allows you to find solutions. The 4% was worth fighting for. That’s always been my point of view.”
Interesting Fact: In 2024, Daniil Medvedev again lost a two-set lead in the Australian Open final, this time to Jannik Sinner. The Italian pulled off an epic comeback to win his first Grand Slam: 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
So, clearly, Australia loves a comeback.
Now if we’re talking legendary wins outside clay, let’s not skip 2008 as Rafael Nadal established his dominance on grass.
When Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer in a thrilling Wimbledon final
That summer, Rafael Nadal did something wild. He beat Federer at Wimbledon. Ended his five-year unbeaten run there. Became the World No. 1 later that year. And gave fans the match of a lifetime.
After 4 hours and 48 minutes of play, Nadal defeated Federer 6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(8–10), 9–7. The 2008 final was the third straight year they met in the Wimbledon final. Federer had won the previous two and had been the Wimbledon champ since 2003. Nadal had just bagged his fourth straight French Open. Everyone thought the grass would be too quick for him. But Rafa had other plans. That French Open-Wimbledon double, also called the Channel Slam, is a nightmare for most players. You have to adjust from slow clay to lightning-fast grass in just two weeks. The Spaniard didn’t just adjust. He conquered.
Talking about that iconic Wimbledon win, Nadal said in the same interview, “It was one of the most difficult matches to manage in my career because of what that moment meant to me. It was my third Wimbledon final after losing to him in 2006 and 2007. I was hurting, and winning it gave me a confidence boost, proving to myself that I could win big tournaments outside of clay.”
From grass to hardcourt, Nadal made sure no surface could box him in. He made the impossible seem possible. That’s Rafael Nadal. Which of his comebacks gave you goosebumps?