WIth Acapulco triumph Rafael Nadal has won at least 3 consecutive titles in 9 seasons, moving further ahead of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic
Rafael Nadal beat Cameron Norrie in relatively straightforward fashion in the Acapulco final on Saturday, winning 6-4, 6-4 to secure his third consecutive title this season. By virtue of the triumph, the Spaniard has now had nine seasons on the ATP tour where he has won at least three titles on the trot. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have had only five in comparison.
Nadal began his 2022 season in epic fashion, winning the Melbourne Summer Set without dropping a set. He then carried the rich vein of form into this year's Australian Open, defeating Daniil Medvedev in the championship match after trailing him by two sets to love.
The Spaniard beat his Russian rival once again in the semifinals in Acapulco, before going on to win his third title in a row. It should be noted that the last time the 35-year-old won three consecutive titles was in 2017, when he triumphed at the Monte Carlo Masters, the Barcelona Open and the Madrid Masters.
Such performances have been few and far between for Nadal of late, considering he is well into his 30s. However, winning three or more consecutive titles used to be child's play for the Spaniard during his peak physical years. He notably achieved the "North American Hardcourt Slam" back in 2013, when he won the Canadian Open, the Cincinnati Masters and the US Open on the trot.
Nadal also achieved the feat in 2008, when he won Roland Garros, the Queen's Club Championships, Wimbledon and the Canadian Masters on the trot. Apart from those runs, the Spaniard won three consecutive titles in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 - monopolizing the claycourt ATP Masters 1000 tournaments and the French Open in all those seasons.
All-in-all, Nadal has enjoyed nine seasons where he has won three consecutive titles or more. The Spaniard stands alone in that regard and even the likes of Federer and Djokovic do not hold a candle to Nadal when it comes to this feat.
Federer and Djokovic have only enjoyed 5 seasons with 3 or more consecutive titles, compared to Rafael Nadal's 9
For what it's worth, both Federer and Djokovic have enjoyed five seasons where they have won at least three titles on the trot. Federer, on his part, monopolized the grass-to-hardcourt transition in 2004 and 2006, taking home titles at the Halle Open, Wimbledon and the Canadian Open (he won the Gstaad Open in 2004 between Wimbledon and the Canadian Open as well).
The Swiss maestro also won back-to-back titles in Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells in 2005 and 2012, and had a renaissance in the middle of the 2009 season, winning the Madrid Masters, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Djokovic, meanwhile, created tennis history in 2011 as he went 41 matches without a loss, winning consecutive titles in Melbourne, Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome. He caught fire again in the indoor hardcourt season of 2013, triumphing in Beijing, Shanghai, Paris and at the ATP Finals. He had his career-best season in 2015, closing out the year with consecutive title wins at the US Open and all four of the big events during the indoor season.
Although the Serb had a relatively quiet time over the next two seasons, he again won three consecutive titles during his resurgence in 2018, winning at Cincinnati, the US Open and Shanghai.
He then had a great start to his 2020 season, going unbeaten in the ATP Cup, the Australian Open, the Dubai Open and the Rome Masters. In 2021, Djokovic won the Belgrade Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon on the trot.