Rafael Nadal extended his record claycourt winning streak to 63 matches with a victory over Juan Ignacio Chela in Monte Carlo.
Nadal enters his title defence after a stellar season on his favourite surface.
Rafael Nadal fired down 10 aces en route to a 6-3, 7-6 win over Arnaud Clement in the Pacific Life Open second round.
Rafael Nadal's long winning run was halted by fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez at Queen's Club on Friday when he lost 7-6 6-4 in the quarter-finals.
Rafael Nadal's Australian Open quarter-final curse struck again on Tuesday, an injury forcing the top seed to retire in the fifth set against Croatia's Marin Cilic.
Rafael Nadal left no doubt that he would be the overwhelming favourite at next month's French Open after crushing Spanish compatriot David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3 in the Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals on Saturday. World number 12 and fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco will be the last man standing in Nadal's way to a record sixth consecutive title in the glitzy principality after he demolished top seed Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2.
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.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 2022 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Monday.
Spain's Rafa Nadal will face American Andy Roddick in the semi-finals of the Sony Ericsson Open after the pair enjoyed convincing victories on Wednesday.
Rafael Nadal held off a stirring fightback from David Ferrer to beat his fellow Spaniard 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 on Sunday and become the first man to win the Barcelona Open in four consecutive years.
Underarm serve could be an effective weapon in halting Rafael Nadal's annual rampage on clay most just chuckled.
Nadal always looked like the most likely winner once he got his nose back in front.
Rafael Nadal has played down the significance of his quarter-final defeat by Austrian Dominic Thiem at the Madrid Open
Rafael Nadal's decision to skip the US Open because of health concerns has added another twist to the intriguing three-way battle for the most career men's Grand Slam titles and, in many eyes, the title of Greatest Of All Time (GOAT). Had the 34-year-old Spaniard managed to retain the title he won in a five-set thriller against Daniil Medvedev last year, he would have joined Roger Federer at the top of the list with 20 titles. Instead, his decision has cleared the path for 33-year-old Novak Djokovic to edge to within one of Nadal's Grand Slam tally with a fourth title at Flushing Meadows and 18 in total.
Raducanu stormed into the third round of the Cincinnati Open
Rafael Nadal continued to scythe his way through the Shanghai Masters on Thursday, reaching the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 6-1 thrashing of temperamental Italian Fabio Fognini.
Former Wimbledon champion Rafa Nadal could be heading for a clash with one of his Big Four rivals as early as the fourth round after the Spaniard was seeded 10th for the grasscourt championships.
Rafael Nadal was upset by Tomas Berdych and Roger Federer survived a scare in the Toronto Masters third round.
Roger Federer has warned Rafael Nadal that he must win the US Open to stand any chance of being labelled as the greatest to ever play the game.
Rafael Nadal captured his 16th career Grand Slam title and third at the US Open
Dominic Thiem, U.S. Open winner in 2020, has secured a place in the main draw of the Australian Open after the withdrawal of Reilly Opelka, the tournament organisers confirmed on Friday.
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has recognized the French Open semi-final encounter between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic as the "Best Grand Slam Match of the Year".
Nadal, is known to have a superior win-loss record over most top players (including Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic), but believe it or not, there are players on the circuit who have an edge over Nadal.
Factbox on Rafael Nadal, who beat Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to win his 11th French Open title on Sunday:
Novak Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final to win a 24th Grand Slam singles title and equal Margaret Court's record haul.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer continued on a collision course towards the Monte Carlo Masters final after easily winning their third round matches in contrasting conditions on Thursday.
Robin Soderling is unlikely to be on Rafael Nadal's Christmas card list this year after once again getting under the Spaniard's skin at the ATP World Tour Finals.
World number one Rafael Nadal made light work of Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the Barcelona Open final 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday, lifting the trophy for a record-extending 11th time.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal failed to win a single game in the opening set of his US Open quarter-final against Dominic Thiem on Tuesday but fought back to beat the Austrian 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5) in match that ended past 2 am in New York.
Rafael Nadal gave Russian teenager Andrey Rublev a tennis lesson on Wednesday, racing into the semi-finals of the US Open with a ruthless 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 win that cleared the path for a possible showdown with rival Roger Federer.
Andy Murray reduced Rafa Nadal's granite-like resistance to rubble as he stunned the Spaniard 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 to capture the Japan Open on Sunday.
Novak Djokovic etched his name into Olympic history, capturing the gold medal in a thrilling victory over Carlos Alcaraz.
Claycourt master Rafael Nadal quickly adapted to his new surroundings at Roland Garros with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 demolition of German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann in the first round of the French Open on Monday.
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal won on Saturday to set up an Italian Open final meeting
Top seed Rafael Nadal overcame fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-3 at the Rome Masters on Friday while Roger Federer beat German qualifier Mischa Zverev 7-6, 6-2 to book a semi-final with holder Novak Djokovic. Serb Djokovic eased through with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Argentine fifth seed Juan Martin Del Potro. Nadal next faces Chilean 12th seed Fernando Gonzalez, a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner over Argentine qualifier Juan Monaco.
Eight-time champion Rafael Nadal will lock horns with World No 1 Novak Djokovic for third time in the Monte Carlo Masters final after both sailed through their semi-finals with relative ease on Saturday.
Rafael Nadal and the other members of the 'big four' know that a new band of brash youngsters are on the horizon, but the Spaniard showed on Thursday they will not be handing over the keys to the game's trophy cabinet just yet.
It took nearly five hours of gruelling tennis for Rafael Nadal to fend off Grigor Dimitrov and book a dream Australian Open final against Roger Federer but before Melbourne Park the Spaniard endured a season of heartache and doubt.
Despite defeating Rafael Nadal in the Madrid Masters final, Andy Murray believes that it would be a mistake to write off Nadal from being the 'favourites' for the French Open title.
Rafael Nadal, like Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, is a great believer in mutual respect. The leading quartet on the men's circuit do not indulge in slanging matches.