Hopefully, it is not the end of a tennis era.
Maybe it is just a hiatus.
Rafael Nadal, as of March 20, 2023, is no longer ranked as one of the top ten players in the world.
This is astounding when you consider how long he has been among the ten highest-ranked tennis players.
Put it this way, his tenure in the Top 10 could almost legally vote.
It has been 934 weeks, a month short of 18 years, since Nadal burst into the Top 10, on April 25, 2005.
And there it is:
After an incredible streak of 934 weeks–falling just a single month short of 18 years–Rafael Nadal has slipped outside the top 10, which he first entered on April 25, 2005. pic.twitter.com/RllZXnNwT1
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) March 20, 2023
Unbelievable Streak
Factoring in Rafa’s injuries, this is a testament to how well he played and how long he has played.
The 14 French Open wins certainly helped to cement his yearly Top 10 rankings.
The other 8 Grand Slams contributed also.
King Of Clay Is Coming Back
Rafa’s injuries have slowed him down in 2023, but everyone believed he was channeling all of his energy during the rehabilitation to Roland Garros.
Rafael Nadal getting ready for the clay-court season. pic.twitter.com/VDW1NrUuNc
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) March 11, 2023
He is the undisputed King of Clay and the defending champion who will seek his 15th Roland Garros title at the French Open this spring.
They did not build a statue of him outside the stadium for no good reason.
Medvedev on the biggest challenge in all of tennis:
Facing Rafael Nadal on clay. pic.twitter.com/edT8ggLsrK
— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) March 11, 2023
He is the best to ever play on clay, and though it is possible, it seems unlikely that someone would match his 14 French Open wins.
Never say never is what fans of the 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz fans would say.
Alcaraz, a fellow Spaniard, does remind many of Nadal, but let’s be clear, there is only one Rafa.
The Race For 23 In ’23
Nadal and Novak Djokovic are on a collision course to see who can win the elusive 23rd Grand Slam first.
Djokovic won the Australian Open to even the score at 22.
Novak won two French Opens, in 2016 and 2021.
It is worth noting that the 2021 version of the tournament happened in the fall and not in the usual springtime because of COVID-19 so the court conditions were completely different.
Rafa has the advantage to get to 23 first, but no one can dispute that Novak will be fighting for it this summer and fall at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
Dominic Thiem believes Novak Djokovic would be favourite at all Grand Slams other than French Open, as Rafael Nadal would be favourite there 👏#NovakDjokovic #RafaelNadal #IndianWells #Tennis pic.twitter.com/MMherZaUuP
— Sportskeeda Tennis (@SK__Tennis) March 15, 2023
Young stars like Daniil Medvedev and Alcaraz will be right there in contention with the pair.
In the meantime, Rafa is ranked at unlucky 13, and fans cannot wait to see the 36-year-old slugging it out on the courts really soon so he can get back in the Top 10.
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