As Rafael Nadal prepares to take on Alexander Zverev on his 36th birthday, looking back at how Spaniard has fared in matches played on his birthday so far
Rafael Nadal will take on Alexander Zverev in the semifinals of the 2022 French Open on Friday, the day he turns 36. The 21-time Grand Slam champion, who generally celebrates his birthday during the second week of Roland Garros every year, has played seven matches on his birthday up until now, winning all but one of them.
A win against the German would take the Mallorcan one step closer to a record-extending 22nd Slam title and 14th French Open crown, which he will duel for against either Casper Ruud or Marin Cilic.
But before that, let's take a look at the seven matches the Spaniard played on his birthday and how the World No. 5 fared in them:
#1 vs Roger Federer (2005 French Open)
The most famous of all the matches Rafael Nadal has played on his birthday came at the 2005 French Open, where he locked horns with then World No. 1 Roger Federer in the semifinals.
Playing in his maiden Roland Garros as a lanky teenager, the Mallorcan pulled off a major upset and defeated the Swiss 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in four sets.
Two days later, the World No. 5 went on to defeat Mariano Puerta in the final to win his first-ever French Open and Grand Slam title, becoming the first man to win the tournament on his debut since Mats Wilander in 1982.
#2 vs Paul-Henri Mathieu (2006 French Open)
Facing off against Paul-Henri Mathieu in the third round of the 2006 French Open, Rafael Nadal was made to work hard for a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win.
The now-36-year-old went on to successfully defend his title, defeating Roger Federer in the final. The tournament also witnessed the first ever meeting between the Spaniard and Novak Djokovic, with the former prevailing.
#3 vs Nicolas Almagro (2008 French Open)
Rafael Nadal's third straight birthday win came at the 2008 edition of the French Open, where the three-time defending champion crushed fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.
The former World No. 1 went on to win the title that year, besting Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and Roger Federer in the final. The Spaniard won the trophy without dropping a set, becoming only the third man in the Open Era after Bjorn Borg and Ilie Nastase to achieve the feat.
#4 vs Andy Murray (2011 French Open)
The Mallorcan defeated Andy Murray at the 2011 French Open on his 25th birthday. Nadal raced to a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 win. Two days later, the 21-time Grand Slam champion defeated Roger Federer in the final to win his sixth French Open title.
The victory also marked the now-36-year-old's 10th Major overall, and in the process he tied Bjorn Borg's record for most Roland Garros titles. It was also the first time the former World No. 1 won the tournament as the top seed.
#5 vs Kei Nishikori (2013 French Open)
Rafael Nadal locked horns with Kei Nishikori in the fourth round of the 2013 French Open on his 27th birthday and raced to a 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 win. The three-time defending champion went on to successfully defend his title, defeating top seed Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and David Ferrer in the final.
By doing so, the Mallorcan became the first man in the Open Era to win a single Grand Slam on eight different occasions.
#6 vs Novak Djokovic (2015 French Open)
Rafael Nadal's sole loss on his birthday came against Novak Djokovic at the 2015 French Open, where he fell 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 in the quarterfinals. As the five-time defending champion, the Spaniard suffered only his second ever loss at the tournament.
The defeat also marked Djokovic's first ever victory against the World No. 5 at the French Open, ending a streak of six losses. Courtesy of the result, the southpaw fell to World No. 10 in the ATP rankings, his lowest since 2005.
#7 vs Richard Gasquet (2021 French Open)
Facing off against Richard Gasquet in the second round of the 2021 French Open, Rafael Nadal raced to a 6-0, 7-5, 6-2 win on his 35th birthday. Unfortunately, the 36-year-old did not win the title, falling to eventual winner Novak Djokovic in four sets in the semifinals.
The loss against the Serb marked the 21-time Grand Slam champion's third defeat at the tournament. It was also the first time the Spaniard lost a match at Roland Garros after winning the first set.