Unless he extends his career and comes next year wanting to improve his numbers in Paris, Rafael Nadal his great numbers will leave as his main legacy in the history of tennis Roland Garros: 112 victories, only four defeats and 14 titles, the bulk of his 22 Grand Slamstwo away from Serbian Novak Djokovic’s record (24).
If Roland Garros sums up the extraordinary individual career of the Balearic player, the Davis Cup it also drew the brilliant profile of the team, a competition in which the Spaniard also felt like a fish in water: 29 victories and one defeat in his 30 individual matches and five ‘salad bowls’ With his record (2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2019) they speak for themselves about the competitive gene in the most prestigious tennis tournament by country.
To put Rafa Nadal’s 29-1 record into perspective, Roger Federer (40-8) and Novak Djokovic (41-8) shows more ‘human’ Davis Cup records. The Swiss (2014) and the Serbian (2010) have only one ‘Salad Bowl’ on their record.
Surprisingly, Nadal’s only Davis Cup loss came on his debut in the competition, when he was 17 years old and lost against the Czech Jiri Novak (7-6, 6-3, 7-6) in the first round of the Davis Cup. He also lost the next day in doubles with Tommy Robredo, but Rafa closed out the tie on Sunday with a loss. Radek Stepanek to put the last 2-3 on the scoreboard.
That first appearance was the preview of Nadal’s first bombardment in the Davis Cup, already in the finals of the same year in 2004, when he was the ace in the hole of the captains group and earned a major point by defeat. Andy Roddick. That victory is considered by many to be Nadal’s international debut in the world of tennis.
Nadal’s Davis Cup history began in 2000, when he became a great promise in tennis and was chosen as the standard bearer of the Spanish team that won the title for the first time in the memorable Davis Cup final. Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona. What followed exceeded any previous expectations. His inclusion in the team for the Final 8 in Malaga next November is another chapter, who knows if, this time, the last.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
