Rafael Nadal is the only player in history to win multiple Grand Slams in 3 different decades
Rafael Nadal won a record 22nd Grand Slam title when he reigned supreme at the French Open earlier this year.
Nadal not only leads the Grand Slam race but is also the only player in history to win multiple Grand Slams in 3 different decades.
Rafa Nadal is the only player in history to win multiple grand slams in 3 different decades
2000-2009: 6 majors
2010-2019: 13 majors
2020- Present: 3 majors
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The Spaniard bagged his first Grand Slam title when he won the French Open on debut in 2005 and has gone on to record 13 more victories at the venue.
After four consecutive wins at Roland Garros, Nadal secured his first triumph on the grass courts of Wimbledon in 2008. The Spaniard got past five-time defending champion Roger Federer in a marathon clash, thus proving that he could win a Grand Slam on grass as well.
Yet another epic victory over the Swiss maestro in the final of the 2009 Australian Open added to the Spaniard's tally before he got past Novak Djokovic to win his first US Open title in 2010. It was the beginning of a new decade for the Mallorcan, who added a second Wimbledon title to his kitty in 2010.
The Spaniard has not won a Wimbledon title since the 2010 triumph, but has bagged three more US Open titles (2013, 2017, and 2019).
The former World No. 1 veered ahead of his closest rivals Djokovic and Federer to win his 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open earlier this year and battled pain and injury en route to a 22nd at Roland Garros.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion looked to be on course for a tournament win at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships before an abdominal tear forced him to withdraw ahead of the semifinals.
Array of awards complement Rafael Nadal's records
Rafael Nadal has also won an array of awards over the years that complement his records and speak volumes about his ability.
He won the Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year as early as 2006. This was followed by the Best International Athlete ESPY Award in 2008 and the BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year in 2010.
The Spaniard has won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award five times. Nadal first won the award in 2010 and followed it up with four in a row from 2018 to 2021.
He won the prestigious Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award in 2011 and 2021 while also winning the Comeback Player of the Year award in 2014.
Very happy for this award! Thanks to @ESPYS and to all of you for always supporting me.
Nadal also won the Best Male Tennis Player ESPY Award in 2011 and 2014. The men's ITF World Champion for 2018 was another coveted award that the 22-time Grand Slam champion has been rewarded with.