3 times Rafael Nadal has lost a set 6-0 on clay
Rafael Nadal is universally considered the greatest claycourt player of all time, leading to him being labeled the 'King of Clay'. The 36-year-old has won an ATP record of 63 titles on the surface, 14 more than Guillermo Vilas in second place.
His trophy haul includes 14 Roland Garros crowns and 26 ATP Masters 1000 titles (11 in Monte-Carlo, 10 in Rome, four in Madrid, and one in Hamburg). The great Spaniard holds an astonishing 474-45 overall career record on his favorite surface.
But, despite his dominance on the surface, there have been a few opponents who have managed to get the better of the Spaniard. Here is a look at three times the 22-time Major champion has been bageled in a set on clay:
#1 2005 Buenos Aires quarterfinals: Gaston Gaudio d. Nadal 0-6, 6-0, 6-1
In 2005, Nadal appeared at the ATP 250 (then ATP International) tournament in Buenos Aires for the first time. The then 18-year-old was seeded No. 7 after receiving a wildcard entry.
Following straight-set wins over Argentina's Agustin Calleri and Italy's Potito Starace, the Spaniard met No. 2 seed Gaston Gaudio in the quarterfinals. The Argentine was the defending French Open champion and World No. 8 at the time.
The Spaniard made a flying start by taking the opening set 6-0, but Gaudio hit back to level the contest by winning the second set with the same scoreline. The home favorite continued his surge to ease across the finish line for the loss of just a single game in the third set.
#2 2005 Monte-Carlo Masters final: Nadal d. Coria 6-3, 6-1, 0-6, 7-5
Following his defeat to Gaudio in Argentina, Nadal won back-to-back claycourt events in Costa do Sauipe and Acapulco in February. He was then beaten in an entertaining five-set final at the Miami Masters (hardcourt) in March, before losing to Igor Andreev in the quarterfinals in Valencia (clay) in April.
The Spaniard carried his fine form into the 2005 Monte-Carlo Masters, where he reached the final for the loss of just one set (in his semifinal win over Richard Gasquet). The 18-year-old met World No. 9 and defending Monte-Carlo champion Guillermo Coria in the title match.
The then World No. 17 dropped just four games en route to taking the first two sets, before the sixth-seeded Argentine responded by bageling the Spaniard in the third. Nadal edged a tight fourth set against the 2004 Roland Garros finalist to claim his maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown.
#3 2007 Hamburg Masters final: Federer d. Nadal 2-6, 6-2, 6-0
Starting with his opening win in his 2005 Monte-Carlo title run, Nadal won a men's record of 81 consecutive claycourt matches going into the 2007 Hamburg Masters final. The streak included five victories against his great rival and then World No. 1 Roger Federer, who he faced in the Hamburg title match.
The No. 2 seed's imperious run on the surface, and against his Swiss contemporary, looked set to continue as he took the opening set 6-2. The top seed, however, reacted strongly by winning the second set by the same scoreline to level the final.
Federer then stormed through the deciding set 6-0 to secure his first-ever triumph on clay against the then 20-year-old.