Rafael Nadal's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Rafael Nadal.

Rafael Nadal is a retired Spanish professional tennis player, widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. He held the world No. 1 ranking for 209 weeks and finished five years as the top-ranked player. Nadal has won 92 ATP Tour-level singles titles, including a record-breaking 22 major titles, 36 Masters titles, and an Olympic gold medal. He is among the few to achieve a career Golden Slam in singles. His dominance on clay is highlighted by an Open Era record of 81 consecutive wins on the surface.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1982: Mats Wilander French Open

In 1982, Mats Wilander French Open.

1983: Broke Mats Wilander's record

In 1983, Nadal broke Mats Wilander's previous teenage season record of nine titles and Nadal was awarded ATP Most Improved Player of the Year award.

1990: First Male Teenager to Win a Major Singles Title since Sampras

In 2005, Nadal also became the first male teenager to win a major singles title since Pete Sampras won the 1990 US Open at age 19.

1997: Winner Jamie Murray

In 1997, Nadal beat Jamie Murray in the final.

1997: Spanish Junior Championship

In 1997, Rafael Nadal won the Spanish junior championships, showcasing his early talent in tennis.

February 1998: Won Open Super 12

In February 1998, Nadal won the Open Super 12, an unofficial world championship for U12 players in Auray, marking his first competition outside Spain.

1998: Spanish Junior Championship

In 1998, Rafael Nadal won the Spanish junior championships, demonstrating his continued success in junior tennis.

2000: Dominated U14 circuit

In 2000, Nadal dominated the U14 circuit, winning Les Petits As in Tarbes and the European Junior Masters in Prato. He also won the Sport Goofy Trophy in Getxo and the U14 Spanish championships.

2002: First ATP Match Win

In 2002, Nadal won his first ATP match by defeating Ramón Delgado at the ATP 250 event in Mallorca, becoming one of the youngest players to achieve this feat.

2003: First Top 10 Career Win

In 2003, Nadal beat Albert Costa, then ranked No. 7, marking his first top 10 career win, and entering the world's top 100.

2003: Asteroid Named After Nadal

In 2003, the main belt asteroid 128036 Rafaelnadal was discovered and named after Nadal.

2004: Davis Cup Victory

In 2004, Nadal helped Spain win the Davis Cup by defeating Andy Roddick, becoming the youngest player to register a singles victory in a Davis Cup final for a winning nation.

April 2005: Nadal Enters Top 10 ATP Rankings

In April 2005, Nadal entered the Top 10 of the ATP rankings, beginning a record-breaking streak of consecutive weeks in the Top 10.

July 2005: Ranked No. 2 in the World

On 25 July 2005, Nadal achieved a ranking of No. 2 in the world, marking a significant milestone in his career.

2005: Major Titles Streak Begins

From 2005, Nadal won major singles titles in 10 consecutive years, showcasing his sustained excellence.

2005: Doubles title at Qatar Open

In 2005, Nadal began the year by winning a doubles title alongside Albert Costa at the Qatar Open, defeating Andrei Pavel and Mikhail Youzhny in the final.

2005: Dominated Spring Clay-Court Season

In 2005, Nadal dominated the spring clay-court season, winning 24 consecutive singles matches and several titles, including the Torneo Conde de Godó and the Italian Open, and also won the French Open.

2005: First Major Title at French Open

In 2005, Nadal won his first major title at the French Open, marking a significant milestone early in his career.

2005: China Open win and Davis Cup matches

In 2005, Rafael Nadal defeated Coria in the final of the China Open in Beijing and won both of his Davis Cup matches against Italy. He also won his fourth Masters title of the year at the 2005 Madrid Masters against Ivan Ljubičić.

2007: Wimbledon Final and Stuttgart Open Win

In 2007, Nadal was upset in the quarterfinals at Queen's, then reached the Wimbledon final, losing to Federer in five sets. In July 2007, Nadal beat Stan Wawrinka in the final of the clay-court Stuttgart Open.

2008: First Year-End No. 1 Season

In 2008 Nadal had his first year-end No. 1 season.

2008: World No. 1 and Olympic Gold

In 2008, Nadal became the world No. 1 after defeating Federer in the Wimbledon final and won an Olympic singles gold at the Beijing Olympics, solidifying his status as a top player.

2008: French Open Win

In 2008, Nadal won a Grand Slam without losing a set.

2010: Nadal Achieves Career Grand Slam at US Open

At the 2010 US Open, Nadal defeated Djokovic in four sets, securing his career Grand Slam.

2010: Carlos Moya's Opinion

In 2010, Carlos Moya stated Nadal was "one of the greatest ever. But he is on his way to become, who knows, maybe the greatest".

2010: Career Grand Slam and Year-End No. 1 Ranking

In 2010, Nadal completed his first Career Grand Slam and became the second male after Andre Agassi to complete a Career Golden Slam. Nadal also clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking for 2010.

2010: Career Grand Slam

In 2010, Nadal completed the career Grand Slam by defeating Djokovic in the US Open final, becoming the youngest man in the Open Era to achieve this feat.

2010: BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year

In 2010, Nadal was named the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year, celebrating his international impact and achievements.

2010: French Open Win

In 2010, Nadal won a Grand Slam without losing a set.

2011: Awarded the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award

In 2011, Nadal was awarded the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award for his charitable work and contributions.

2011: Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award

In 2011, Nadal was honored as the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, recognizing his achievements in sports.

2011: Wimbledon Semi Final

In 2011, it was Nadal's first Wimbledon semi final since 2011, ensuring Nadal retained his No. 1 ranking.

2012: Chosen as Spain's flag bearer for London Olympic Games, but forfeited due to injury

In 2012, Rafael Nadal was chosen as Spain's flag bearer for the London Olympic Games, but had to forfeit the role due to an injury.

2012: Seventh French Open Title

In 2012, at the French Open, Nadal won his semi-final match against Ferrer to set up another final against Novak Djokovic. Nadal emerged victorious and became the most successful male player at the French Open with seven titles.

2013: Djokovic Ends Nadal's Monte Carlo Reign; Nadal Wins French Open Semifinal and US Open

In 2013, Djokovic ended Nadal's eight-year title streak at Monte Carlo, but Nadal later defeated Djokovic in the French Open semifinals and went on to win the US Open final, completing the Summer Slam.

2013: Two Grand Slam Tournaments in a Year

In 2013, Nadal captured two Grand Slam tournaments in a year.

2013: Eighth French Open Title and Wimbledon Loss

In 2013, Nadal won the French Open, breaking the record for most match wins in the tournament. He also lost his first-round match at Wimbledon, his first loss in the first round of a major.

2013: Rogers Cup Win and Injury

In 2013, Nadal won the Rogers Cup, his first Masters title on hard court since 2013; he later retired from the US Open semi-final due to knee pain.

2014: Ranked Among World's Highest-Paid Athletes

In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Nadal as one of the world's highest-paid athletes, highlighting his financial success and endorsements.

2014: Davis Cup and No. 1 Ranking

In 2014, Nadal helped Spain secure a Davis Cup World Group place and regained the No. 1 ranking. He also secured the year-end No. 1 at the ATP Finals in London.

2014: Tenth French Open Title

In 2014, Nadal won a record tenth French Open title, his first Grand Slam title since 2014.

2015: Grand Slam Quarterfinal

In 2015, Nadal reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the French Open.

2015: Mercedes Cup and Wimbledon Loss

In 2015, Nadal won the 2015 Mercedes Cup and lost in the second round of Wimbledon to Dustin Brown.

2016: Olympic Gold Medal in Doubles

In 2016, Nadal won an Olympic gold medal in doubles at the Rio Olympics, adding to his list of achievements.

April 2017: Barcelona Open Centre Court Named Pista Rafa Nadal

In April 2017, the centre court of the Barcelona Open was named Pista Rafa Nadal, honoring his achievements.

September 2017: Nadal and Muguruza Top ATP and WTA Rankings

In September 2017, Nadal and Garbiñe Muguruza made Spain the first country since the United States 14 years earlier to simultaneously top both the ATP and the WTA rankings.

2017: Four-year Span of Major Titles

From 2017, Nadal began another four-year span of winning major singles titles, continuing his legacy.

2017: Federer Australian Open

In 2017, Federer won Australian Open.

2017: French Open Win

In 2017, Nadal won a Grand Slam without losing a set.

2019: Davis Cup Title

In 2019, Nadal helped Spain win its sixth Davis Cup title and was awarded the tournament's Most Valuable Player award.

2019: Year-End No. 1 Ranking Secured

In 2019, Nadal secured the year-end No. 1 ranking for the fifth time.

2019: Thomas Muster Calls Nadal Best Clay-Court Player Ever

In 2019, former world No. 1 Thomas Muster stated that "Rafael Nadal is the best clay-court player ever", highlighting his dominance on clay.

November 2020: Record as Top Player

In November 2020, Nadal reached his 790th back to back week as one of the ten highest placed players on the ATP rankings and surpassed the record held by Jimmy Connors.

2020: End of Four-year Span of Major Titles

In 2020, Nadal concluded another four-year span of winning major singles titles, continuing his legacy.

2021: Second Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award

In 2021, Nadal received the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award for the second time, acknowledging his continued excellence in sports.

2021: Laureus World Sportsman of the Year (2nd time)

In 2021, Nadal was again named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, marking his second time receiving this prestigious award.

2021: Statue Installed at French Open

In 2021, prior to the tournament, the French Open paid tribute to Nadal by installing a 3-metre tall steel statue at Stade Roland Garros.

2022: Most Grand Slam Men's Singles Titles

At the 2022 Australian Open, Nadal surpassed his joint-record with Djokovic and Federer for the most Grand Slam men's singles titles and completed the double career Grand Slam.