Forum fanów tenisa ziemnego, gdzie znajdziesz komentarze internautów, wyniki, skróty spotkań, statystyki, materiały prasowe, typery i inne informacje o turniejach ATP i WTA.
Having previously finished at the top in 2008, 2010 and 2013, Nadal becomes the first player to hold, lose and regain the year-end No. 1 on three occasions.
He is also the first player to finish No. 1 four times in non-consecutive years, the first aged over-30 and the first to finish in the top spot four years since he last achieved the feat (2013). The nine-year gap between his first year-end No. 1 season (2008) and his last (2017) is also a record.
atpworldtour.com
W(39):Nicea’11, Kuala Lumpur’11, Sztokholm’11, Eastbourne’12, Winston-Salem’12, Wimbledon’13, Winston-Salem’13, Kuala Lumpur’13, Zagrzeb’15, Winston-Salem’16, Moskwa’16, Pekin'17, Houston'18, Estoril'18, Stuttgart'18, Hamburg'18, US OPEN'18, Basel'18, Buenos Aires'19, Monte Carlo'19, Paryż'19, Australian Open'20, Rio'20, Dubaj'20, Kolonia'20, Paryż'20, Montpellier'21, Miami'21, Eastbourne'21, Cordoba'22, Seul'22, Tokio'22, Adelajda2'23, Wimbledon’23, Hamburg'23, Pekin'23, Szanghaj'23, Basel'23, Brisbane'24
F(26):Newport’10, Szanghaj’11, Paryż’11, Roland Garros’13, Hamburg’13, Toronto’14, Nottingham’16, Paryż'16, Hamburg'17, Paryż'17, Madryt'18, Toronto'18, Estoril'19, Madryt'19, Lyon'19, Tokio'19, Szanghaj'19, Auckland'20, Marbella'21, Genewa'22, QC'22, Adelajda1'23; Doha'23, Roland Garros’13, Kitzbuhel'23, Winston Salem'23 MTT 120 weeks #1
Rafael Nadal znów ma kłopoty fizyczne. "Moje kolano nie jest w pełni zdrowe"
Spoiler:
Po zwycięstwie 6:3, 6:7(5), 6:3 nad Pablo Cuevasem w III rundzie turnieju ATP w Paryżu Rafael Nadal wyjawił, że po raz kolejny w karierze ma kłopoty zdrowotne. - Moje kolano nie jest w pełni zdrowe - powiedział Hiszpan.
REKLAMA
Środowy pojedynek III rundy turnieju ATP w Paryżu był dla Rafaela Nadala bardzo trudny. Nie dość, że jego rywal, Pablo Cuevas, postawił trudne warunki, to jeszcze sam Hiszpan był daleki od swojej optymalnej dyspozycji, a dodatkowo w trakcie gry prosił o interwencję medyczną, a na jego kolanie pojawił się bandaż.
ATP Paryż: trzysetowa wygrana Rafaela Nadala. Roberto Bautista przegrał z Marinem Ciliciem i stracił szansę na Londyn
Na pomeczowej konferencji prasowej przyznał, że ma problemy. - To oczywiste, że moje kolano nie jest w pełni zdrowe. Inaczej nie poprosiłbym fizjoterapeutę, aby założył mi bandaż - powiedział po zwycięstwie nad Cuevasem.
Nadal spełnił już cel, z jakim przyjechał do Paryża. Awansował do 1/8 finału i zapewnił sobie pierwsze miejsce w rankingu ATP na koniec sezonu 2017. Na pytanie czy wobec tego i w obliczu zbliżających się Finałów ATP World Tour (12-19 listopada) rozważa rezygnację z dalszej gry w stolicy Francji, odparł: - Nawet jeśli piątek się wycofam, nie będzie to oznaczać, że w Londynie będę w 100 proc. zdrowy.
W ćwierćfinale turnieju Rolex Paris Masters Hiszpan zmierzy się z kwalifikantem Filipem Krajinoviciem. - To trudny przeciwnik. Rozgrywa dobry sezon, wygrał kilka challengerów i teraz gra świetnie na poziomie ATP World Tour - ocenił tenisista z Majorki.
Pojedynek Nadala z Krajinoviciem został wyznaczony w piątek jako drugi mecz dnia na korcie centralnym. Rozpocznie się nie wcześniej niż o godz. 15:30.
2015: Tokio
2016: Rio de Janeiro, Indian Wells, Waszyngton, Chengdu, WTF
2017: Doha, Sydney, Dubaj, Miami, Marrakesz, Estoril, s-Hertogenbosch
2018: Barcelona,Winston-Salem,Sztokholm, Paryż-Bercy,
2019: Dubaj, Miami, Monachium, Kitzbühel, St. Petersburg, WTF
2020: Adelaide, Rzym
2022: Adelaide 1, Australian Open, Rzym, Halle
2023: Indian Wells, Miami, Barcelona, US Open, WTF
2015: Kuala Lumpur
2016: Queens, Sankt Petersburg
2017: Waszyngton, Winston-Salem, US Open, Sankt Petersburg, WTF
2018: Doha, Miami, Hamburg,
2019: Eastbourne, US Open,
2020: RG, Sofia
2021: ATP Cup
2022: Stuttgart, Eastbourne, Winston-Salem, Florencja
2023: Montpellier
MTT (DEBEL) - Tytuły (7) / Finały (7)
Spoiler:
2019: RG, Cincinnati, Paryż-Bercy, WTF
2020: RG, US Open
2021: Rzym
2018: WTF
2019: Indian Wells, Madryt
2020: Australian Open
2021: Australian Open, RG, Paryż-Bercy
Kontuzja kolana wyeliminuje Rafaela Nadala z finałów ATP?
Spoiler:
Rafael Nadal z powodu kontuzji kolana wycofał się w piątek z turnieju Rolex Paris Masters. Hiszpan nie przystąpi tym samym do ćwierćfinałowego meczu imprezy rangi ATP Masters 1000 z serbskim kwalifikantem Filipem Krajinovicem. Pod znakiem zapytania stoi również jego występ w londyńskich Finałach ATP.
0
‹ wróć
Kontuzji kolana Nadal nabawił się w czwartkowym meczu trzeciej rundy z Pablo Cuevasem (6:3, 6:7(5), 6:3). Światowy numer jeden potrzebował w nim konsultacji lekarskiej, ale ostatecznie udało mu się to spotkanie dokończyć. W trzecim secie na jego kolanie pojawił się jednak tejp.
Chwilę po ostatniej piłce Rafa twierdził, że czuje się dobrze i już nie może doczekać się rywalizacji w Londynie, ale teraz jego występ w O2 Arena wcale nie jest taki pewny.
- Tu nie chodzi tylko o Londyn. Nie wiem, czy przerwa nie będzie dłuższa. W takim stanie nie jestem zdolny rywalizować na korcie – przyznał później tenisista z Majorki.
Nadal już wcześniej zapewnił sobie pozycję lidera rankingu na koniec obecnego roku.
Rafael Nadal withdrew from the Rolex Paris Masters on Friday before his quarter-final against qualifier Filip Krajinovic due to a right-knee injury.
“I have to pull out,” Nadal said at a press conference. “Of course, it’s a very hard decision for me, especially — pulling out from any event is tough, but especially from here, from Paris. As I said a lot of times, it's the most important city in my career, without a doubt.”
On Wednesday, Nadal clinched the year-end No. 1 Emirates ATP Ranking with his second-round victory against Next Gen ATP Finals qualifier Hyeon Chung. Nadal was the first player to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, doing so in June. The year-end finale will take place at The O2 in London from 12-19 November. However, the Spaniard says that he is not focusing on London at the moment.
“I am sad enough to pull out from here. It's a tournament that I have a lot of people that I know very well around the organisation, all the same people that organise Roland Garros. I feel like home here and for the relationship that I have with the French Federation, with everybody, it's a very tough day for me. So it's not the right day to talk about London,” Nadal said. “Only thing I’m going to say, I'm going to do my treatment, do my best to be playing in London, but I cannot talk about that now because it’s a day that is tough enough for me to pull out from here.”
Nadal was attempting to win his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in Paris. Krajinovic will play John Isner or Juan Martin del Potro in his first Masters 1000 semi-final.
Rafael Nadal: "Finishing No. 1 Means Many Things To Me"
Spoiler:
"At 31 years old, you're the oldest player to finish the year at No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings."
"Ever?"
"Yes -- in history."
"Really?"
After beating Hyeon Chung 7-5, 6-3 in the second round of the Rolex Paris Masters to ensure he finished the year as World No. 1 for the fourth time in his career, Rafael Nadal was in awe to learn that he is the oldest player to achieve that feat since the Emirates ATP Rankings were established in 1973.
"It was an amazing year, just amazing," said Nadal, who also finished atop the Emirates ATP Rankings in 2008, 2010 and 2013. "I never would have imagined I would end up as No. 1 at the end of the season again. Finishing the year as No. 1 means a lot to me. It wasn't one of my goals going into the season — far from it. After returning from a difficult period in my career and battling through injuries, this wasn't on my mind."
Nadal's climb back to the top would have been hard for anyone to predict. In January, when he returned to the ATP World Tour at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp after closing his 2016 following the Asian swing, looking to recover from his left wrist injury, Nadal began the year ranked No. 9. By August, the Spaniard was ranked No. 1 leading into the US Open and had clinched his 10th French Open title. After claiming the US Open crown and a successful campaign in Asia, in which he won the China Open and was runner-up to Roger Federer at the Shanghai Rolex Masters, finishing the year at the top suddenly seemed realistic.
"When the opportunity (to end the year at No.1) presented itself, it became my goal," Nadal said. "The Asian swing was very important for me, because the points I gained during that time were valuable."
Returning to the top spot at a certain point in the year and actually ending the year at No. 1 are two separate accolades, according to Nadal, and the Spaniard feels it's extra special to close out the year as the best player in the world.
"Being No. 1 for a part of the year is great, that's obvious, but ending the year No. 1 is even better," Nadal said. "The two things are beautiful and important, but without a doubt there's a big difference, if you ask me. In the end, this is like a league and when you finish a year as No. 1, it means you were the best player for that season."
Nadal is also aware of what it means to be the oldest player to end the year on top, considering he's had to battle back from numerous injuries throughout his career.
"It means many things," the 16-time Grand Slam champion said. "It means that I've had a very long and successful career. It means that I have maintained my form. It means that I have kept the desire to play, despite the adversities that come with injuries. It means a lot after all I've been through. When I receive the trophy in London [for ending the year at No. 1], it will be an exciting time for me because I thought it would not happen again."
Ending 2017 as No. 1 means Nadal achieves another milestone in tennis history: More than nine years have passed since the first time (2008) and the most recent time he accomplished the feat (2017) — an incredible testament to his longevity.
"The gap between the first time I finished No. 1 and now is very wide," Nadal said. "Therefore, it also means a lot to be able to continue playing at this level for so long."
Nadal has now set his sights on two more goals to close out the year: to claim this week's Rolex Paris Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals — two titles that have so far eluded him.
"Now I can try to do my best to end the season without thinking about it," said Nadal. "Playing without that tension loosens me up to fulfill other objectives. The season is not over. I'm in Paris, possibly the most important city of my career. I want to give it my best and close out the year with even more success."
“I doubt about myself, I think the doubts are good in life. The people who don’t have doubts I think only two things: arrogance or not intelligence.”- Rafa Nadal
"There are other tournaments in which I would like to win. However, in the end, trophies are just pieces of metal. The main thing that I took from tennis is love. She will remain with me forever, and I am sincerely grateful for this “ - David Ferrer
Subtle, significant changes to Rafael Nadal’s game have enabled the 31-year-old to become the oldest ever year-end No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. As Louisa Thomas of The New Yorker writes, one of the few big titles that Nadal hasn’t won yet during his remarkable tennis life is the title at the Nitto ATP Finals.
There were times when the 2017 season seemed like it could have been a highlights reel taken from Rafael Nadal’s long, unparalleled career. There was Nadal performing his elaborate ritual of tics and tucks, preparing to serve. Nadal, deep in the backcourt, his body torqued and poised, about to uncoil a forehand. Nadal, battling his great rival, Roger Federer, in the final at the Australian Open, in Indian Wells, in Miami, in Shanghai.
Nadal, hair matted with sweat, clothes streaked with clay, eyes creased into a smile, nibbling trophies in Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Roland Garros. On the hard courts of the US Open and Beijing, too. Nadal becoming the No.1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.
It was all so familiar that each image could be taken for granted – just as, a year ago, it was taken for granted that Nadal was in an inevitable and inexorable decline. At the end of 2016, Nadal had seemed a broken man, frequently injured and too often unnerved. His forehand was landing short, rebounding without its usual bite. His serve was weaker, his movement a microsecond slower. He lost matches that, in the past, he would have pulled out, and he barely won matches that, in the past, he would have won in a rout. He missed long stretches with injury.
Of course, he was still one of the best players in the world, still capable of astonishing feats. He could reach ungettable shots and turn them into his own freakish winners. He could grind opponents down and finish them off with a vicious thrust. But the big wins came more rarely and he finished 2016 at No. 9. He seemed to be fading, if not gone.
But Nadal takes nothing for granted. It is the source of his genius – as important to his success as his revolutionary, lefty, hooking forehand, his uncanny anticipation and his impeccable footwork. He begins every service, whether the first of a tournament or the last, with the same pattern of gestures. He hits every ball, whether defending or attacking, with the same level of intensity. He approaches every match with the same focus and determination, whether he is playing against Federer or a random qualifier.
He treats every tournament just the same. After winning the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title at Monte-Carlo for an unprecedented 10th time, he was asked if Roland Garros was the next step. “The next step is not Roland Garros,” he answered. “The next step is Barcelona. That’s the real thing. Today is a good start of the clay-court season, but I never take Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Rome, Madrid like a preparation for one tournament. These tournaments are so important in themselves.” That is the kind of statement that every player makes but only Nadal seems to truly believe.
He would go on from Monte-Carlo to win his 10th title in Barcelona, his fifth Madrid Open title – the 30th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title of his career, tying Novak Djokovic for the all-time record – and his 10th Roland Garros title. He seemed to be playing at another level from everyone else, dropping only one match the entire clay-court season, to Dominic Thiem in Rome. (He would go on to avenge that loss, crushing Thiem at Roland Garros.) It was one of the best clay-court seasons that the best clay player of all time had ever had.
And Nadal wasn’t done. By August, during the hard-court season, he had become the No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings for the fourth time in his career – a feat that not so long ago many had thought impossible, given his physical state and the landscape of the game. At the US Open, he stretched his lead in the Emirates ATP Rankings, winning that title with apparent ease, though always insisting on the difficulty of every match. Nothing for granted, from first ball to last.
And in fact, once you get past the similarities between this season and seasons past, you will see that this is, in some significant ways, a changed Nadal. He is 31 years old now, which shows in the creases around the eyes, and perhaps in the occasional bafflement when a shot does not land where it should. His shorts have shortened. The more subtle and significant changes are in his game.
This year, Nadal brought on Carlos Moya, another Spaniard to have held the No. 1 spot, to be a new voice in his camp, sitting alongside his uncle Toni Nadal, who did so much to shape Rafa’s game, and who will bow out at the end of the season. With Moya’s encouragement, Nadal paid more attention to his shotmaking, swinging freely, stepping into the court and taking the ball down the line with more frequency. He dramatically improved his service game, to the point where he could top 120 miles per hour with his first serve and hit his second with more pace and bite. He also showed this year a willingness to adjust even over the course of a match, putting more pressure on in certain moments, playing more defensively when he sensed an opponent’s nerves or weariness.
Perhaps the last major prize for him to win is the Nitto ATP Finals. He has qualified for the year-end tournament 13 straight times, but he has never won it. This could be his best chance, but you will not know it from the total seriousness with which he enters each match.
It has been a long year. Despite his consistently Herculean effort and brutal physical style, which tests not only his stamina but the resiliency of his wrists and knees, Nadal is the only one of his established rivals who made it through the entire 2017 without taking long breaks for rest or to recover from injury. He has been on the ATP World Tour week in and week out, playing with passion.
Part of the pleasure of watching Nadal is that his game, like his spirit, has a kind of generosity. He often elevates his opponents’ games to levels that we, and perhaps they, had never imagined possible. It is his greatness that his own level still rises higher.
Rafael Nadal will be fit for ATP Finals in London, says coach Carlos Moya
Spoiler:
World No 1 Rafael Nadal will be fit for the ATP Finals in London next week, according to his coach Carlos Moya.
There have been concerns over Nadal's fitness after he withdrew from the Paris Masters last week with a knee injury.
However, scans on his existing tendon injury show that it has not become any worse, and Moya has now confirmed that Nadal will be at the tournament, which begins on Sunday.
He said: "Rafa is fine, the knee is okay. He stopped just to take no risks.
"Rafa will be competitive in London because it's the only big tournament he hasn't won."
The ATP Finals have been ravaged by injury this year, which would have made Nadal's withdrawal even worse for the tournament organisers.
Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic have all been ruled out of this year's tournament due to various injury problems.
His rivals' fitness issues, as well as his own excellent form, has seen Nadal rise to the year-end No 1 ranking for the fourth time in his career.
His ranking comes on the back of a remarkable year in which he returned from months of injury problems in 2016 to win the French Open and US Open.
For Moya - who began working with his fellow Mallorcan a year ago - Nadal's success has come as no surprise.
He said: "I expected Rafa to be number one again. I'm not surprised because I've seen him training as usual with lots of passion.
"His tennis and his mind has taken him to number one."
MTT: Tytuły (8): US OPEN 2012 -debel, Sztokholm 2012, Australian Open 2013 - debel, Abu Dhabi 2014, Barcelona 2014, Australian Open 2016 - debel, Marsylia 2018, ATP Finals 2018 - debel
Finały (8): US OPEN 2013, Monte Carlo 2014, Umag 2014, Rotterdam 2015, Sydney 2016, US OPEN 2016 - debel, Winston-Salem 2018, US OPEN 2018 - debel
Nadal Turns Focus To Maiden Nitto ATP Finals Title
Spoiler:
Fear does not come into the equation for Rafael Nadal. Having arrived in London for the Nitto ATP Finals, the Spaniard admitted he would not even allow a resurgent Roger Federer, nipping at his heels for a return to No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, to play on his mind in the latter part of 2017.
Having achieved so much already, reassuming top spot was a bonus, an unexpected reward for a season that has bagged titles in Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Roland Garros, Flushing Meadows and Beijing. The Spaniard begins his season-ending campaign with one less pressure hanging over his head.
Federer can nip at his heels all he wants. The year-end Emirates ATP No. 1 Ranking belongs to Nadal, regardless of results in London.
“I was not afraid at all,” Nadal said of Federer’s pursuit of the top spot. “It’s something that I was clear in my mind. I will not do a different calendar to try to be No.1 again. I did what I thought was best for my happiness, my tennis career and for my results.
“It’s a very important achievement, especially for my age – No.1 in the world at the end of the season is a great achievement for me at 31.5 years old. For sure, it was never on my mind to be in that position again, but here, I made it happen, my team helped me to where I am today.”
Few big titles have eluded the Spaniard over his decorated career. Of his 75 titles, however, none have included the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals.
“Yes it’s a goal in my mind, I’ve qualified 13 years,” Nadal said. “Of course being here is an important thing but for me, it is what happens during the year – competing in tournaments, almost every week with a very competitive level of tennis, and being healthy (that matter).”
Seventh seed David Goffin is his first round-robin assignment on Monday night. The pair has squared off twice, both times on the slower clay, both this year – at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid and ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo – where Nadal prevailed each time in straight sets.
“After what happened to him at Roland Garros (an ankle injury), it would be really unfair if he was not here,” Nadal said. “I’m very happy to see him recovered and playing well. Hopefully he won’t play that well on Monday but he’s 100 per cent here and he deserves to be.”
Nadal would have to progress beyond the group stage of the Nitto ATP Finals to have another shot at playing Federer. While he leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 23-15, the Swiss has claimed all four of their encounters in 2017. Any talk of revenge in London, though, is quickly downplayed.
“No I don’t need to beat Roger for good confidence,” Nadal said. “I’ve won enough to be confident. If I play him here it would be great to finish the year playing him again to give me another chance.
“We cannot forget that we played all the times (in 2017) on surfaces that he likes more than me. I just accept that and find different ways to approach the match and if that happens (in London), I’m healthy enough so I hope I have my chances.”
2015: Tokio
2016: Rio de Janeiro, Indian Wells, Waszyngton, Chengdu, WTF
2017: Doha, Sydney, Dubaj, Miami, Marrakesz, Estoril, s-Hertogenbosch
2018: Barcelona,Winston-Salem,Sztokholm, Paryż-Bercy,
2019: Dubaj, Miami, Monachium, Kitzbühel, St. Petersburg, WTF
2020: Adelaide, Rzym
2022: Adelaide 1, Australian Open, Rzym, Halle
2023: Indian Wells, Miami, Barcelona, US Open, WTF
2015: Kuala Lumpur
2016: Queens, Sankt Petersburg
2017: Waszyngton, Winston-Salem, US Open, Sankt Petersburg, WTF
2018: Doha, Miami, Hamburg,
2019: Eastbourne, US Open,
2020: RG, Sofia
2021: ATP Cup
2022: Stuttgart, Eastbourne, Winston-Salem, Florencja
2023: Montpellier
MTT (DEBEL) - Tytuły (7) / Finały (7)
Spoiler:
2019: RG, Cincinnati, Paryż-Bercy, WTF
2020: RG, US Open
2021: Rzym
2018: WTF
2019: Indian Wells, Madryt
2020: Australian Open
2021: Australian Open, RG, Paryż-Bercy
Toni, Rafa's uncle and coach, happy with Nadal's return to form in 2017
A day before he kicks off his Nitto ATP Finals campaign, Rafael Nadal took to the court in a practice session Sunday with fellow Spaniard and tournament alternate Pablo Carreno Busta. Nadal's uncle and coach, Toni, oversaw the last-minute preparations.
"Training has gone very well," Toni said. "We've practised at a very high level for this event. If Rafa's knee holds up, we expect good results."
A stress injury to the patella tendon in his right knee forced Nadal to withdraw ahead of his quarter-final match at the Rolex Paris Masters. The 16-time Grand Slam champion has spent the past several days working to overcome the injury in time for the Nitto ATP Finals. And while Rafa isn't dealing with knee pain at the moment, Toni is well aware that even at full strength, the road to victory for his charge will still be a difficult one.
Watch Live
Watch Full Match Replays
"I've heard some people saying that the draw is in our favor, but I don't see it that way at all," Toni said of Rafa's group that includes David Goffin, Dominic Thiem and Grigor Dimitrov. "Specifically, I would have preferred if Dimitrov wasn't in our group altogether, but we'll have to deal with the draw we've been dealt. In all honesty, every match will have its own complications."
The round-robin format of the Nitto ATP Finals means an early loss doesn't spell immediate elimination, but Toni still feels it's critical that Rafa gets off to a strong start.
"Obviously, we're accustomed to the single elimination format," Toni said. "Just because a loss isn't the end of the road doesn't make things any less difficult when you're talking about the eight best players in the world facing one another in such a short span. The [round-robin] format requires a lot of effort from the start; the level of play starts very high and continues that way until the end. No one here is a pushover; we're talking about players like Goffin, like [Jack] Sock. So every match is an important one."
Toni is proud of his nephew's 2017 — a season that has included a pair of Grand Slam victories (Roland Garros and the US Open), two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 wins (Monte Carlo and Madrid), and two ATP World Tour 500 victories (Barcelona and Beijing), but the coach is most happy that Nadal has returned to a form that saw him dominate in the past.
"Rafael achieved so much this year," Toni said. "Between all the tournament wins, ending the year at No.1 — it's been a very good season for us. I'm proud of the victories, but also of his level of play. His game has been close to the level he was at in 2013, which was an extremely high level. To be able to reach No.1 at 31 years old, I can't say enough about that."
Rafael Nadal was honoured on court Sunday afternoon at the Nitto ATP Finals, receiving his ATP World Tour No. 1 trophy from ATP Executive Chairman & President Chris Kermode for finishing as the year-end No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.
“It’s been a fantastic season, a very emotional one after all the things I’ve been going through the last couple of years,” said Nadal during the on-court ceremony. “It’s not something I could’ve thought of one year ago, so it means a lot to me.
“None of this could’ve been possible without my family, my team... I can just say many thanks to all of them for the support. There have been some tough moments but everybody kept believing that things like this are possible again so without the work of all them, I wouldn’t be back where I am today.”
Nadal also shared his appreciation for the tournaments, fans and sponsors. “Without you, nothing would be the same, so thanks everybody for supporting our sport,” he said.
The Spaniard clinched year-end No. 1 for a fourth time with his victory over Hyeon Chung, the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals champion, on 1 November at the Rolex Paris Masters.
Nadal has enjoyed a stellar season, capturing six titles – including two Grand Slams and two ATP World Tour Masters 1000s — from 10 tour-level finals. This past spring, he became the first player in the Open Era to win 10 titles at the same tournament. Even more impressively, he accomplished 'La Decima' not just once, but three times with his triumphs in Barcelona, Monte-Carlo and Roland Garros.
At 31, Nadal is the oldest player to finish year-end No. 1 (since 1973). Having previously finished at the top in 2008, 2010 and 2013, Nadal becomes the first player to hold, lose and regain the year-end No. 1 on three occasions. He is also the seventh player to finish the year at the pinnacle of men’s professional tennis on four or more occasions
He is also the first player to finish No. 1 four times in non-consecutive years, the first aged over-30 and the first to finish in the top spot four years since he last achieved the feat (2013). The nine-year gap between his first year-end No. 1 season (2008) and his last (2017) is also a record.
Nadal is looking to cap off his remarkable comeback season with his first season finale crown. He opens his campaign Monday evening against Belgian David Goffin.
The Spaniard withdraws due to a right knee injury
Rafael Nadal announced his withdrawal from the Nitto ATP Finals on Monday night after a 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 6-4 loss to David Goffin in his opening round-robin match.
The Spaniard will be replaced in the event by his compatriot and first alternate Pablo Carreno Busta, who will take Nadal’s spot in Group Pete Sampras. Nadal withdrew due to a right knee injury just two weeks after pulling out of the Rolex Paris Masters, also because of his knee.
"I had the commitment with the event, with the city, with myself. I tried hard. I did the things that I had to do to try to be ready to play," Nadal said. "But I am really not ready to play. I really fought a lot during the match, but knowing that [there] probably was a big chance to be the last match of the season."
Nadal says that he had no choice, and knew during the match against Goffin that he would not be able to continue in the tournament.
"It was not a decision at all," Nadal said. "It's about the pain. I cannot hold with enough power to keep playing. I tried, but [it] seriously was miracle to be very close in the score during the match."
2015: Tokio
2016: Rio de Janeiro, Indian Wells, Waszyngton, Chengdu, WTF
2017: Doha, Sydney, Dubaj, Miami, Marrakesz, Estoril, s-Hertogenbosch
2018: Barcelona,Winston-Salem,Sztokholm, Paryż-Bercy,
2019: Dubaj, Miami, Monachium, Kitzbühel, St. Petersburg, WTF
2020: Adelaide, Rzym
2022: Adelaide 1, Australian Open, Rzym, Halle
2023: Indian Wells, Miami, Barcelona, US Open, WTF
2015: Kuala Lumpur
2016: Queens, Sankt Petersburg
2017: Waszyngton, Winston-Salem, US Open, Sankt Petersburg, WTF
2018: Doha, Miami, Hamburg,
2019: Eastbourne, US Open,
2020: RG, Sofia
2021: ATP Cup
2022: Stuttgart, Eastbourne, Winston-Salem, Florencja
2023: Montpellier
MTT (DEBEL) - Tytuły (7) / Finały (7)
Spoiler:
2019: RG, Cincinnati, Paryż-Bercy, WTF
2020: RG, US Open
2021: Rzym
2018: WTF
2019: Indian Wells, Madryt
2020: Australian Open
2021: Australian Open, RG, Paryż-Bercy
Ranking: 1
Bilans meczów: 67-11
Tytuły: 6 (Pekin, US Open, Roland Garros, Madryt, Barcelona, Monte Carlo)
Finały: 4 (Szanghaj, Miami, Acapulco, Australian Open)
Zarobki: $12,691,340
“I doubt about myself, I think the doubts are good in life. The people who don’t have doubts I think only two things: arrogance or not intelligence.”- Rafa Nadal
"There are other tournaments in which I would like to win. However, in the end, trophies are just pieces of metal. The main thing that I took from tennis is love. She will remain with me forever, and I am sincerely grateful for this “ - David Ferrer
Rafael Nadal docenia pracę Carlosa Moyi. "Inny punkt widzenia oznacza szerszą perspektywę"
Spoiler:
perspektywę"
Marcin Motyka Marcin Motyka 28 Listopada 2017, 09:10
Udostępnij4 Tweetnij Skomentuj1
Od sezonu 2018 głównym trenerem Rafaela Nadala będzie Carlos Moya, który współpracuje z Hiszpanem od grudnia 2016 roku. - Dzięki niemu mogłem usłyszeć nowe rzeczy i trenować w nieco inny sposób - mówił tenisista z Majorki.
Marat Safin: Novak Djoković nie zagrozi Rafaelowi Nadalowi i Rogerowi Federerowi
Wraz z końcem sezonu 2017 dobiegł kres współpracy Rafaela Nadala z wujkiem Tonim. Od przyszłorocznych rozgrywek głównym szkoleniowcem Hiszpana będzie Carlos Moya, który do sztabu tenisisty z Majorki dołączył w grudniu 2016 roku i pełnił rolę trenera-konsultanta.
- Przyjście Carlosa do naszego sztabu wiele nam dało i było jak powiew świeżego powietrza - mówił Nadal w rozmowie z portalem La Expansion. - Dzięki niemu mogłem usłyszeć nowe rzeczy i trenować w nieco inny sposób. Carlos przybył w odpowiednim czasie. Inny punkt widzenia oznacza szerszą perspektywę.
Miniony sezon był jednym z najlepszych w karierze Nadala. Tenisista z Majorki wygrał sześć turniejów, w tym dwa wielkoszlemowe (Roland Garros i US Open) oraz po 3,5 roku powrócił na pierwsze miejsce w rankingu. - Po ubiegłorocznym US Open postanowiłem szybciej zakończyć sezon. Odpocząłem, mogłem się dobrze przygotować do gry w 2017 roku, który bez dwóch zdań okazał się dla mnie fantastyczny - ocenił.
Choć sezon 2017 był dla Hiszpana wspaniały, zakończył go kontuzją kolana. To kolejny uraz w jego karierze. - Nigdy nie straciłem zapału do kontynuowania kariery, chociaż niektóre momenty były bardzo trudne. W 2014 roku miałem wiele kłopotów zdrowotnych, następnie kontuzję nadgarstka i problem z wyrostkiem robaczkowym. W 2016 roku czułem, że jestem w świetnej formie, ale z powodu kontuzji nadgarstka musiałem wycofać się z Rolanda Garrosa i przedwcześnie zakończyć sezon. Przez uraz nie mogłem także zagrać w igrzyskach olimpijskich w Londynie, a reprezentowanie kraju to dla mnie szczególne doznanie - wyliczył.
W niedawno zakończonych rozgrywkach sympatyków tenisa ekscytowała rywalizacja Nadala z Rogerem Federerem. Obaj podzielili między siebie wielkoszlemowe tytuły oraz zajęli dwa najwyższe miejsca w rankingu. - Mam bardzo dobre relacje z Rogerem. Traktuję go z szacunkiem. Nie można nie czuć szczególnej więzi z kimś, z kim tak wiele razy rywalizowało się w trakcie kariery. Ale moi prawdziwi przyjaciele są na Majorce. To ci, których znam całe życie - powiedział.
2015: Tokio
2016: Rio de Janeiro, Indian Wells, Waszyngton, Chengdu, WTF
2017: Doha, Sydney, Dubaj, Miami, Marrakesz, Estoril, s-Hertogenbosch
2018: Barcelona,Winston-Salem,Sztokholm, Paryż-Bercy,
2019: Dubaj, Miami, Monachium, Kitzbühel, St. Petersburg, WTF
2020: Adelaide, Rzym
2022: Adelaide 1, Australian Open, Rzym, Halle
2023: Indian Wells, Miami, Barcelona, US Open, WTF
2015: Kuala Lumpur
2016: Queens, Sankt Petersburg
2017: Waszyngton, Winston-Salem, US Open, Sankt Petersburg, WTF
2018: Doha, Miami, Hamburg,
2019: Eastbourne, US Open,
2020: RG, Sofia
2021: ATP Cup
2022: Stuttgart, Eastbourne, Winston-Salem, Florencja
2023: Montpellier
MTT (DEBEL) - Tytuły (7) / Finały (7)
Spoiler:
2019: RG, Cincinnati, Paryż-Bercy, WTF
2020: RG, US Open
2021: Rzym
2018: WTF
2019: Indian Wells, Madryt
2020: Australian Open
2021: Australian Open, RG, Paryż-Bercy
Rafa Nadal: “A year ago I never thought I'd be number one again"
Spoiler:
How do you value the AS 50th Anniversary Award, which could be said to represent the best Spanish sportsman in history?
I only have words of thanks for this award, truthfully. It has been an extraordinary year and this award is particularly special because the monarchs will be attending the ceremony, where there will also be many Spanish athletes who deserve the award as well.
If you had been involved in the selection process, who would you have chosen?
I don’t know, there are so many people who have done amazing things in their sports and some for the first time. That has extra value. Severiano Ballesteros marked an era in golf, Miguel Indurain in cycling, Pau Gasol has two NBA rings, Fernando Alonso and his world titles, we’re doing very well in motorcycling…
What does it mean to be Rafa Nadal?
I haven’t changed at all. I still live in the same place [Manacor]. I live a normal life like any young person when I’m at home. When I travel I change a little bit. But when I go home I find the peace that I need.
How did you forge this character of yours, which is so disciplined and insatiable?
Well, I’m not insatiable… I love sport in general, not just tennis. The people that have always been by my side have helped me. And I have had sufficient intelligence to know when to ask for advice. There are people that when they reach the top they only want to hear nice things. In my case, the people I have around me know they can say what they think.
You’re considered an active legend tennis, one of the best of all time. How do you deal with that?
With complete normality. I appreciate all the affection people show me and all the praise is welcome, as well as criticism, as long it’s respectful. I know my career has been a bit special, but at 31 years old I’m not going to build myself up. I’m aware that I’m a passenger in everything that is happening at the moment. In a few years I’ll be another person in the street and it’s better not to get too full of yourself because the fall later can be a big one. I’ve always managed to keep a level head.
If you hadn’t become a tennis player, what would you have liked to have been?
I’ve never really thought about it to be honest because I was pretty much a professional before I was old enough to give it any consideration. I’m a big fan of sport in general so I’m sure I would have been involved in sport somehow. I would have liked to have the university experience, which everybody says is fantastic. But I have had a natural apprenticeship in life, day-by-day, which has allowed me to travel the world and meet people from different cultures.
How does one achieve success?
You need a few basic, innate qualities, nobody can deny that, but hard work and pushing yourself is also a reality. You need to have people around you who help you and keep you motivated. That’s fundamental. I’ve always been surrounded by very positive people, from a young age. My uncle, Toni, has been helping me from the age of three when I first picked up a racket.
Speaking of Toni, this was his final year by your side. What has he signified to you?
I can never thank my uncle enough for what he has done for me. It’s not just one lesson, but many every day since I was three years old. Without him I might never have played. He’s been pushing me since I was a kid to be the best I can and I’ll always be grateful to him.
Among all your career achievements your 10 Roland Garros titles stand out. What was the key?
Happiness, everything else you have to keep winning. Somebody else can do what I’ve done, but it’s true that there have to many circumstances in place for it to happen. It does make me happy to have something like this and it’s there in history. I don’t know if I’ll ever see anybody overtake me there.
Did you expect a season as good as this one?
I don’t expect anything, I do my thing and what happens, happens. I try to do the best I can and from there, if I’m healthy, I see myself in a position to compete well and try to achieve the things that excite me. Confidence and belief are always better with a positive dynamic. I didn’t expect to play badly.
You ended a good year as world number one…
It’s been a great season for me, a very emotional one after everything I went through in the two previous season with injuries. Being number one again is something I never thought would happen a year ago. I won two Grand Slams and a few other titles and I’ve been happy. It was a dream season really, I would have paid a lot of money to have a season like that.
What are your dreams now?
Sometimes I have nightmares [laughs]. I have nothing to ask for. I’m grateful and all I can ask is that I stay healthy. I’m hugely fortunate to have lived everything I have at my age. I’ll carry on working so I can carry on doing what I love.
Are you motivated by the thought of overtaking Roger Federer’s record 19 Grand Slams?
I make my own way and my own career is what motivates me. In life you have to be happy with what you do, and while that doesn’t mean I don’t want more, I don’t need to catch Federer. I’ll keep on fighting for what I can achieve.
Have you given any thought to how long you’ll keep playing?
I don’t think about it because I’m not that methodical. If I’m still enjoying it, I’ll keep playing it. The day I wake up and that’s not the case, I’ll stop and do something else. At the moment I wake up with the enthusiasm to keep doing what I’ve always done.
“I doubt about myself, I think the doubts are good in life. The people who don’t have doubts I think only two things: arrogance or not intelligence.”- Rafa Nadal
"There are other tournaments in which I would like to win. However, in the end, trophies are just pieces of metal. The main thing that I took from tennis is love. She will remain with me forever, and I am sincerely grateful for this “ - David Ferrer