Waiting for the start of the new season, Rafael Nadal has set another record. In fact, the 22-time Grand Slam champion has reached 900 consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of the ATP rankings. Despite the multiple injuries that have affected his career, Rafa has managed to stay at the top thanks to his incredible willpower.
The Spaniard was close to leaving the Top 10 in the summer of 2015, when he spent seven weeks in tenth place in the ranking.
Consecutive weeks in the Top 10:
Rafael Nadal: 900 (April 25, 2005 to present)
Jimmy Connors: 788 (August 1973 to September 1988)
Roger Federer: 734 (October 2002 to October 2016)
Ivan Lendl: 619 (July 1980 to May 1992)
Pete Sampras: 565 (September 1990 to July 2001)
Novak Djokovic: 555 (March 2007 to October 2017)
Rafael Nadal aims for the top: the main records of 2022
Rafael Nadal proved once again this year that he is a living legend of the sport.
Despite the usual physical problems, the Spaniard managed to win two Grand Slams. By winning the Australian Open and Roland Garros, the 36-year-old from Manacor overtook Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in the all-time Majors rankings. setting a truly incredible record for men’s tennis.
The Serbian closed the gap by winning his seventh Wimbledon in the summer and the fight between the two will continue without limits in 2023. Rafa’s performance dropped in the second half of the season, also due to the abdominal tear he suffered at Wimbledon.
The Spaniard was unable to play the Championships semifinal against Nick Kyrgios and appeared at the US Open in precarious conditions, already stopping in the round of 16 against host Frances Tiafoe. The former ATP number 1 has been training hard in recent weeks and will participate in the inaugural edition of the United Cup.
Next, the Spaniard will travel to Melbourne for the Australian Open, where he will be called to defend his title. Nadal will be the protagonist not only in the expected Australian Swing, but also in the other Slams of 2023; from Roland Garros, to Wimbledon and the US Open.
