A GOAT who is also a What if?: How Rafael Nadal's 22 Grand Slam titles take on new meaning when his injury track record is taken into consideration
Rafael Nadal's hunt for the elusive Calendar Slam came to an unfortunate end last week in the semifinals of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, when the Spaniard had to withdraw from his clash against Nick Kyrgios with an abdomen injury.
Although the Mallorcan battled through the quarterfinals with the same issue, he opted out of the tournament anyway, remarking that it was hard in his current state to repeat his performance two more times.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion, therefore, had to leave SW19 with his unbeaten record in Majors this year intact, but with his hunt for a third title at Wimbledon still incomplete.
Rafa saying bye and thank you for everything to every single person https://t.co/fkwE0ZkAaA
Nadal's valiant display against Taylor Fritz caught the attention of tennis fans even before the extent of his injury came to light. But once they became aware of it, pundits and fans alike showered even more praise on him, lost for words trying to describe the incredulity of an injured 36-year-old fight on despite the odds stacked against him.
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1. (especially in former times) a brave or experienced soldier or fighter.
2. Rafael Nadal
#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 https://t.co/m6jL34xXQe
Interestingly, this is not the first time the former World No. 1 has had to abandon his pursuit of a Grand Slam due to circumstances beyond his control. When Novak Djokovic won his first French Open title in 2016, the World No. 3 had to withdraw prior to his third-round match against Marcel Granollers due to a wrist injury.
The Mallorcan has also had to retire from three Grand Slams midway through -- at the 2010 Australian Open, the 2018 Australian Open and the 2018 US Open. While the first two retirements came about in the quarterfinals (against Andy Murray and Marin Cilic respectively), the third happened during his semifinal clash with Juan Martin del Potro.
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In addition to all that, the southpaw has missed 11 Grand Slams in total due to an injury of some kind, including last year's Wimbledon and US Open due to his persistent foot injury. Knee injuries, wrist injuries, elbow injuries and many more over the years have robbed both Nadal of the chance to get his hands on more silverware and his fans of seeing their favorite in action.
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RG03 elbow
RG04 scaphoid
WB04 scaphoid
AO06 foot
WB09 knee
US12 knee
AO13 stomach virus
US14 wrist
WB16 wrist
WB21 foot
US21 foot
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AO10 knee
AO18 iliopsoas
US18 knee
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RG16 wrist
WB22 abd
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Coincidentally, this is why the World No. 3 has a better success rate in Slams when compared to his other rivals in the GOAT race. While Roger Federer has had to appear in 81 Majors to win his 20 titles and Novak Djokovic has played in 68 Majors for his 21 titles, Nadal's 22 Grand Slam titles have come in only 65 appearances.
How many more Grand Slams could Rafael Nadal have won if his body had not given out on him?
A burning question therefore arises: How many more Grand Slams could Rafael Nadal have won if he had been fully fit? 25? 30? How many more Grand Slams could he have taken away from Federer and Djokovic? In an era where Majors are seen as the be-all and end-all of the GOAT race, this becomes a very prominent factor that cannot, and should not, be ignored.
@97InThe5th @RafaelNadal Absolutely unreal to me. Just look at that list. 16 grand slams.... That's just mind-boggling. And another thing I find incredible was the AO '14 final against Wawrinka where he still finished that final, though obviously injured as heck. True champion, legend of our sport.
Usually, players with injury-stricken careers belong in the "What if?" category in tennis. Stars like Juan Martin del Potro, Dominic Thiem and even Andy Murray to a certain extent have left fans wondering what they could have gone on to achieve had their bodies not betrayed them at important stages in their careers.
Rafael Nadal, on the other hand, is all that, and still the uncontested leader in the GOAT race. Very rarely does someone come along who has achieved everything there is to accomplish in the sport and still leaves room for unfulfilled potential.
It remains staggering how much Nadal has suffered from injuries throughout his career. Theyβve hit before majors and during majors, even in the late rounds. And yet, 22 major titles. Heβs somehow both a GOAT-level player and a what-if.
Even a difference of five Major titles at this point in their respective careers would have been enough to seal the 22-time Grand Slam champion's fate as the undisputed GOAT. If not for the lack of co-operation from his body, that might very well have been the case.
Not everything is lost now either. With the Swiss' return date uncertain and the Serb's future hanging in the air due to vaccine mandates across the US and Australia, the former World No. 1 has every chance of adding more to his tally. As he has shown this year, the Next Gen is good, but not quite at the level of the Big 3 when it comes to grinding out results.
@ruidpinheiro @tennisnation Nadal missed 14 slams through injury. Djokovic hasnβt even missed half of that. Simple mathematics. No comparison whatsoever.
If the 36-year-old manages to extend his lead in the race by the end of next year, even by one, chances are that he will end up as the statistically best player of all time. But here is the catch: Even if he doesn't, his injury track-record is a significant handicap that only he has had to overcome.
For that reason, and for that reason alone, Rafael Nadal's standing as the favorite in the GOAT debate remains on solid ground. Until Novak Djokovic exceeds him by a number that can no longer be ignored, the Spaniard has every chance of going down in history as the greatest player of all time, while still leaving fans wanting for more.