The spirit was as strong as ever but Rafael Nadal's troublesome knee failed him in the end as the Spaniard quit the ATP Finals after a painful defeat by Belgium's David Goffin.
Ashleigh Barty lifted the season-ending WTA Finals trophy and led Australia to their first Fed Cup final since 1993, while Nadal won his 4th ITF Award for winning two Slams this season.
There are few more impressive sights in sport than Roger Federer in full flow on a tennis court but the Swiss great cannot compare with Rafael Nadal as an athlete, says former world No.1 John McEnroe.
Rafael Nadal captured his 16th career Grand Slam title and third at the US Open
Rafael Nadal was at his awe-inspiring best as he recovered from a first set wobble to crush Juan Martin del Potro 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 in the US Open semi-finals on Friday and move within reach of a 16th grand slam title.
Both are in superb form and have yet to drop a set at this year's championship. Britain's Murray, the number one seed, will face 28th ranked Fabio Fognini from Italy while Spaniard Nadal will go up against Russian Karen Khachanov, ranked 30.
Rafael Nadal's quarter-final win over compatriot Nicolas Almagro made him only the sixth player ever to win 50 matches at the French Open. Roger Federer, his arch rival, had achieved the feat earlier in the tournament.
Novak Djokovic clawed his way to a two sets to one lead over great rival Rafael Nadal before their scintillating Wimbledon semi-final was paused on a knife-edge on Friday.
Nadal has a habit of truly coming into his own at Roland Garros, as his 100-2 win-loss record testifies.
Sinner, Alcaraz will keep tennis' flag flying: Shastri
Nadal pulled off his greatest escape to deny Daniil Medvedev again, less than three years after leaving the Russian heartbroken in five sets at the 2019 US Open final.
World No 3 Rafael Nadal admitted that he may not play in the upcoming Australian Open after suffering a shocking first round defeat against Germany's Michael Berrer at the Qatar Open.
'It's a new era and will be like adapting to a different routine. Moya has come with new ideas and new methods of working that have worked well and we are excited'
They were each handed a torch in the Jardin des Tuileries after several top sporting names, including French soccer great Zinedine Zidane, Spain's 14-times French Open tennis champion Rafael Nadal, American 23-times Grand Slam winner Serena Williams and Romanian gymnastics great Nadia Comaneci.
Spain's Rafael Nadal defeated local boy Di Wu in straight sets to reach the second round of the China Open on Tuesday.
Rafael Nadal consolidated his flying start to the clay-court season by taking a record-extending fifth Madrid Open title on Sunday, battling past a determined Dominic Thiem to win 7-6(10-8), 6-4.
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.
Fierce like firestorm yet soft like marshmallow: Federer and Nadal
'He's so important for our game, one of the greatest legends of tennis in the history of the game.'
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 has withdrawn from next week's season-opening exhibition event in Abu Dhabi due to ongoing fitness problems, the world number one said.
Former world number one Rafa Nadal wasted a match point as he slipped to a surprise semi-final loss to Austrian Dominic Thiem on his beloved clay at the Argentina Open on Saturday.
Roger Federer was joined by Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray at a fun practice session that held the spectators spellbound.
The Serbian fought back from a first set bagel to storm into the quarters
"But if you need a reminder of who he is, just look at his career stats and grand slams that he won."
World number one Novak Djokovic said his win over Rafa Nadal in Friday's epic French Open semi-final was one of the top three matches he had played and he would remember it forever.
Rafael Nadal survived a difficult start to see off Chung Hyeon of South Korea in straight sets and reach the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open for a 10th time on Friday.
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.
Rafael Nadal is chasing a historic 10th French Open title in Paris, but nothing will ever come close to trying to win his second.
Nadal said his back was still bothering him against world number 56 Djere
Fabio Fognini pulled off a huge upset, stunning top seed and holder Rafael Nadal 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the Rio Open semi-final on Saturday.
The 34-year-old practised for an hour on Thursday evening at the Rod Laver Arena and his fitness was improving "little by little, step by step", sources close to Nadal told Reuters.
Nadal has won the Australian and the French Open back-to-back and has the chance to become the first man to win all four majors in the same year
Alcaraz has not gone beyond the quarter-finals in his three previous visits to Melbourne, but that has not stopped the world number three from dreaming of glory in the Jan. 12-26 event.
The 12-time French Open champion unhappy with schedule.
Rafael Nadal is seeking 100,000 euros ($118,000) in damages from former French sports minister Roselyne Bachelot after she accused the Spanish tennis legend of a dope test cover-up.
Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are determined and inspired by the opportunity to win their first French Open title.
Former Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi has penned a heartfelt letter to Rafael Nadal where he has expressed his support to the Spaniard who is seeking to clinch his 10th French Open title.
Let battle commence, says Djokovic ahead of Nadal showdown
Fourteen-times grand slam champion Rafael Nadal has turned to fellow Mallorcan Carlos Moya in an attempt to revitalise his career, the 30-year-old Spaniard said on Saturday.
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