A year before he won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2005, Rafa made his debut in India at the Chennai Open.
Rafael Nadal returned to Melbourne not as a competitor this time, but as a supporter -- backing fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz ahead of the Australian Open final.
Rafael Nadal will play at the Australian Open in January
Nadal appeared close to retiring mid-match but found the will to beat Fritz
Following a hip surgery, Rafael Nadal's season is all but over.
With Novak Djokovic having overtaken his impressive haul of most major titles in men's tennis, Rafael Nadal conceded the Serbian is the best player in history.
Rafael Nadal's championship point winning racket from his 2007 French Open final victory over Roger Federer was sold for more than $118,000 at an auction on Monday, ranking among the highest-priced such memorabilia.
'Let's be confident, let's be positive and let's see what's going on'
The match against Rafa in Australia for the title 14 years back was a massive chapter in their legacies as they gave their all in a five-set masterclass that lasted almost six hours, with Djokovic edging out Nadal.
Rafael Nadal married his childhood sweetheart Maria Francisca Perello on Saturday
The Rafael Nadal asteroid, currently located between Mars and Jupiter, is 4 kilometers in diameter and travels through space at a speed of 20 km per second.
Rafael Nadal is expected to be released from a clinic in Barcelona on Tuesday after undergoing a successful appendectomy, the world number three's spokesman said.
Rafael Nadal reclaimed top spot in the men's ATP rankings on Monday
Rafael Nadal is the oldest title winner in the history of the clay-court tournament.
Reader Jenkins sent us this picture from Chennai.
Nadal eyes participation in Davis Cup Finals, 2020 Olympics
Reader Blisson Antony sent us a picture of Rafael Nadal.
Rafael Nadal looks unstoppable at the US Open.
Reader Mamta Nahar sent us these pictures from Chennai.
Factbox on Rafael Nadal who won his ninth French Open title, and record fifth in succession, after beating Serbia's Novak Djokovic 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday.
Reader Geethan Rayan sent us this picture.
Federer's pullout from Cincinnati hands number one spot to the Spaniard
Twice former champion Rafael Nadal will not play at this year's Wimbledon due to the wrist injury that forced the Spaniard out of the French Open, he said on Thursday.
Carlos Alcaraz praised Novak Djokovic as an inspiration and gave a shout-out to compatriot Rafa Nadal after downing the Serbian great in four sets on Sunday to claim his first Australian Open title.
Factbox on Rafael Nadal, who beat Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to win his 11th French Open title on Sunday:
"When I was a kid, I just dreamt about playing at Roland Garros, at Wimbledon, professional tournaments. I am no different than many kids. My motivation and passion to try to reach that dream was the key to our success. "We worked hard with motivation. Kids can do it, if I did it," the Spanish legend said ahead of the opening IPTL match. "The only thing I can advise is that try to have right people around you, who know about the sport, who really support you and try to help you reach your best level, practice everyday with motivation and passion. "I had good people around me. Without (coach and uncle) Tony, nothing was possible. I am lucky that someone from my family is my coach forever. We work hard. "We work with passion, with love for what we are doing and just trying to do right things to improve every year. That's the only secret."
Reader Chandra Kumar sent us a picture of Rafael Nadal from New York.
For the fifth straight year Melbourne brought agony for Nadal. Bikash Mohapatra summarises the Spaniard's no show Down Under.
The 22-time major champion Rafael Nadal addressed the prospect that 2024 could be his final year as an ATP professional, confessing that it is indeed a reality that he might hang up his racquets at the end of next season.
Rafael Nadal's historic seventh French Open crown was also his 50th ATP title. Only nine other players in the Open era preceded the Spaniard to the feat. Bikash Mohapatra looks at them.
Serbian tennis star Djokovic and wife Jelena Djokovic had announced that they will donate a million euros to help the people of Serbia combat the coronavirus. Nadal has expressed gratitude to Djokovic for contributing to his fund to aid the fight against the coronavirus.
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal is recovering well from a left wrist injury and is on track to compete at the Olympics in Rio, his doctor said on Tuesday.
Reader Atul Deshpande sent us this picture from Doha.
Spain's King Felipe VI on Thursday granted tennis great Rafa Nadal the noble title of marquis, recognising his contribution to the nation through sporting prowess, according to a royal household statement.
The Hollywood siren and tennis ace strip to the bare essentials in a sizzling new advertising campaign for the Italian fashion house.
Stanislas Wawrinka will hang up his racquet at the end of 2026, the three-times Grand Slam champion announced on Friday, bringing down the curtain on a 24-year professional career that saw him gatecrash tennis's elite during the sport's golden era.
German Alexander Zverev says he cannot rest on his laurels after beating Novak Djokovic to win the Italian Open on Sunday and has set his sights on bigger titles in order to retain his place in the world's top 10.
Novak Djokovic went down fighting 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 to Alcaraz, who bagged his first Melbourne Park title and became the youngest man to win all four majors.
'I don't understand Spain without Catalonia. I don't want to understand or see it'
Nadal enters his title defence after a stellar season on his favourite surface.
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