World number one Rafael Nadal recovered from an upset loss against Belgium's David Goffin to win the deciding doubles match and send Spain into the semi-final of the ATP Cup teams event in Sydney in the early hours of Saturday. Spain will now play host nation Australia in the inaugural event, while Serbia, led by world number two Novak Djokovic, take on Russia.
'He's so important for our game, one of the greatest legends of tennis in the history of the game.'
Twelfth seed Djokovic resumed two sets to one ahead after snatching a third-set tiebreak the previous night before Wimbledon's 11pm curfew left the match on a knife edge.
"I don't know what can happen in the future or not. But yeah, 11 here already is something really unbelievable. I always say the same. It looks, for the most of you, and even for me, looks so difficult to increase that number for anyone in the future. But if I did it, and I consider myself a normal person, probably someone else is gonna do it."
Austria's Dominic Thiem strained every sinew trying to cling on to the 32-year-old Spaniard and at times even gained a precarious foothold in his first Grand Slam final. But it ultimately proved a futile mission as, just like in all but two of Nadal's previous 87 matches here, the relentless Spaniard proved insurmountable, winning 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
Rafael Nadal reclaimed top spot in the men's ATP rankings on Monday
Rafael Nadal suffered a shock 7-5, 6-3 defeat by Austrian Dominic Thiem in the Madrid Open quarter-finals on Friday, a result that means the Spaniard will lose the world number one ranking.
Rafael Nadal is chasing a historic 10th French Open title in Paris, but nothing will ever come close to trying to win his second.
Rafael Nadal overcame a temporary blip on his way to victory at the ATP Cup on Saturday
Rafael Nadal, whose all-time claycourt record now stands at 414-36 says nobody should assume his feats are routine and that each victory is celebrated like the first.
Nadal converted two of three break chances to claim his 19th win in 22 encounters against the Swiss.
'Yes, I fall over, but grass sometimes is slippery. Nothing happens. I am good, yeah. Nothing'
Images from Monday's action at the French Open.
A win for Djokovic would move him past Pete Sampras (14) to outright third on the list of Grand Slam title winners.
Roger Federer, being the gentleman he is, accepted Rafael Nadal's invite to launch the 9-time French Open champion's tennis academy in Spain.
While taking questions about his first round victory, the World No 2 spotted a journalist snoozing away in the corner of the room.
Here are a few famous faces that watched Nadal go one step close to matching Roger Federer's 20 Grand Slam titles...
Fourteen-time Grand Slam champion, Rafael Nadal will return to action at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships exhibition event in Abu Dhabi in December.
With Rafael Nadal out with injury, can Novak Djokovic go past the Spaniard and pick up a record 23rd Grand Slam title.
Rafael Nadal continued his imperious run of form as he swept aside American Donald Young 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 in the Wimbledon second round on Wednesday.
Nadal kept up his bid for a third Wimbledon and French Open double, putting on an ominous show to beat Karen Khachanov 6-1 6-4 7-6(3) on Friday on Centre Court and reach the last 16.
If Rafael Nadal's Australian Open semi-final win over Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas was one-sided, Novak Djokovic showed he could be even more brutal in his victory against Lucas Pouille on Friday.
Rafael Nadal smoothly negotiated the potential stumbling block presented by Frenchman Benoit Paire on Monday, launching his bid for a 10th French Open trophy with a largely routine 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 win.
French Open champion Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from next week's Aegon Championships at The Queen's Club after advice from his doctors to rest, organisers announced on Tuesday.
Rafael Nadal captured his 16th career Grand Slam title and third at the US Open
French Open champion Rafael Nadal has said he nearly ended his season after being forced to withdraw from the Indian Wells semi-finals with a knee injury in March.
World number two Rafael Nadal confirmed on Tuesday that he will not defend his US Open crown this year at Flushing Meadows as organisers released the singles entry list for the Grand Slam. Spain's Nadal had said in June that he had reservations about travelling to the U.S. amid the COVID-19 pandemic and he joins women's world number one Australian Ash Barty in skipping the tournament due to COVID-19 concerns.
IMAGES from Australian Open matches played at Melbourne Park on Friday
Rafael Nadal set up an Italian Open semi-final with Stefanos Tsitsipas on Friday thanks to a 6-4, 6-0 win over Fernando Verdasco.
Images from the Wimbledon semi-final played between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on Friday
American Sam Querrey claimed the biggest title of his career with an emphatic 6-3, 7-6(3) upset victory over second seed Rafael Nadal in the final of the Mexican Open.
Rafael Nadal said he was proud and had nothing to reproach himself for after losing a top-quality Wimbledon semi-final to great rival Novak Djokovic on Saturday.
'I really don't think much about these kind of things. I do my way, he does his way'
Rafael Nadal kept the flag flying for the old guard at the Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over American Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday for a place in the semi-finals, where he will meet another next generation player in Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The 'Big Three' of tennis world -- Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic -- won't lose much due to the suspension of professional tours since they have already created their own legacies but the real struggle is for lower-ranked players, including the Indians, says legendary Vijay Amritraj. Amritraj said the trio of Federer, Djokovic and Nadal, who have a tight grip over Grand Slam tournaments, won't feel any financial stress or the pressure of progress.
'This was the first time that I played points and that was too much for me today'
Rafael Nadal survived a fightback from Alexander Zverev to win a record eighth Italian Open 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 on Sunday.
'You can't be frustrated all the time because the neighbour has a bigger house than you, or a bigger TV or better garden. That's not the way that I see the life, you know'
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will attempt to set a world record for attendance at a tennis match, with the help of some celebrity guests, when they play an exhibition game in Cape Town in February.
hampion Rafael Nadal and top-ranked Novak Djokovic turned in impressive displays to reach the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals on Thursday. Nadal, chasing a record-extending 12th Monte Carlo title, broke Grigor Dimitrov's serve on four occasions to defeat the Bulgarian 6-4 6-1.
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