Five records in Rafael Nadal's reach during 2023 season
The big guns, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, proved yet again in 2022 that they can't be written off easily. The Spaniard registered one of his best ever starts to a calendar year, chalking up a 21-match win streak with title-winning runs at the Melbourne Summer Set and the Australian Open. Djokovic claimed his 21st Grand Slam title at Wimbledon and ended the year on a high by finishing as a runner-up at the Rolex Paris Masters and winning the Nitto ATP Finals.
Nadal also finished the year inside the top 10 of the ATP rankings for the 18th consecutive season in a row. He is the only player in the Open Era to achieve this remarkable feat. Next Gen players such as Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Felix Auger-Aliassime also had a virtuous season in 2022. They stood up to their task much better this time around, as compared to 2021, and had their say at certain ATP events. 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in particular, captured five titles in 2022 and also picked up his first ever Grand Slam trophy at the US Open Championships.
However, Rafael Nadal became the first man in history to win 22 Grand Slam tournaments in the Open Era. The 36-year-old remained unbeaten at major tournaments until an abdominal injury forced him to withdraw from his semifinal bout at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships against Nick Kyrgios. His streak came to an end at the US Open, where the American, Frances Tiafoe, got the better of him in the fourth round.
The downswing continued for Nadal as he suffered a disappointing first-round loss to Tommy Paul at the Paris Masters and made an early exit from Turin in the Nitto ATP Finals. The World No. 2 will be looking to get some rest ahead of the 2023 season and start fresh on a positive note. He will be the defending champion at the Australian Open in Melbourne and the French Open in Paris. With so much to play for in 2023, let’s take a look at five things the Spaniard will be looking forward to achieving next year.
#5 Joining the 100 Club
Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors are two players from the Open Era who've won more than 100 titles in men's singles ATP events. Federer, who recently called curtains on his glittering career at the 2022 Laver Cup, won a total of 103 ATP Singles events.
Rafael Nadal has won 92 ATP tournaments so far and the Serbian, Novak Djokovic, has managed to win 91. The Spaniard will be looking to add to his tally in 2023 and reach the 100 club, alongside his best friend and arch rival Roger Federer. The World No. 2 will begin his campaign at the ATP 250 Melbourne Summer Set, where he will also be the defending champion. The record for the most number of tournament wins in ATP Singles events (109) is held by the American, Jimmy Conors.
#4 Nadal wins his 15th French Open title
After a dominant performance at the 2022 French Open in Paris, critics and tennis lovers will be reluctant to go against Rafael Nadal for the 2023 edition. Not many on the men's tour can match up to his skill set when it comes to clay. The 36-year-old has an impeccable record at the French Open, garnering 112 wins and only three losses so far. If fitness is not an issue, he'll be looking to capture his 15th crown at the claycourt Grand Slam in Paris.
#3 Oldest Grand Slam Champion in the Open Era
Australian Ken Rosewall holds the record for the oldest Grand Slam winner ever in the Open Era. The former World No.1 outwitted Malcolm Anderson in straight sets to win the 1972 Australian Open when he was 37-years, 2 months and 1 day old. Nadal became the oldest player to win the French Open in 2022, at the age of 36. If the Spaniard manages to win the 2023 US Open Championships, he will become the oldest player ever to win a Grand Slam event.
#2 Most consective weeks inside the top 10 of the ATP rankings
Rafael Nadal is the undisputed king when it comes to consistency. He entered the top 10 of the ATP rankings in 2005 and has stayed in the top 10 ever since. The former World No. 1 has spent more than 898 weeks in the top 10, which is 300 weeks more than Novak Djokovic (555), who is second among the current lot of active players.
Nadal will have 4000 ATP points to defend during the first two Grand Slam events of 2023. Only time will tell if the Spaniard will be able to maintain his consistency and cement his place for yet another year inside the top 10. Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer rank behind him among the all-time list of players with the most consecutive weeks inside the top 10 of the ATP rankings.
#1 Most ATP finals on clay
Rafael Nadal's ATP claycourt tournament record is nothing but staggering. He has reached 71 finals in his career with 63 wins and only eight losses. The Spaniard has earned more than 53,000 ATP points on clay since 2005 and is the only player to complete a clay slam by winning the Monte-Carlo Masters, Madrid Masters, Rome Masters and the French Open in 2010.
The 36-year-old won two titles on clay last year, the Mexico Open and the 2022 French Open. He will be looking to add to his tally and have a positive run in 2023. Argentina's Guillermo Villas is second behind Nadal, with 49 claycourt titles to his name, which he won during his career.