Throughout his legendary career, Rafa Nadal has won a total of 92 titles, with his 22 Grand Slams at the top. A unique record, with his 14 unmatched wins at Roland Garros, and with which he feels fully satisfied. “I don’t think I would be happier if I had 25 Grand Slams, one more than the 24 (from Djokovic). I say it from the heart. Of course I would like to be 25, without a doubt, because this is what sport is about. However, when it’s over, you appreciate what everything has been together. I think you appreciate that in the end you have managed to give your all, to live, to make one of your childhood hobbies a very important part of your life. And, on top of that, with success,” explained recently the Balearic Islander in his interview with AS. In their display cases, however, there are several great trophies that, with their planned withdrawal after the Davis Cup Finals (in Malaga, from November 19 to 24), are not and cannot be.
The Paris-Bercy Masters 1,000, whose final draw begins this Monday, is the most curious case on the list, which is reduced to four places: In addition to the French tournament, there are the Miami Masters 1,000, the Shanghai Masters 1,000 and the ATP Finals, also known as the Masters Cup. In this way, despite being the absolute king of Paris, Nadal has never triumphed in Bercy, whose conditions (hard court and indoor) are far from that clay court that has brought so many joys to the Balearic Islands’ career. In total, Rafa participated nine times in the Masters 1,000 in the neighboring country, with the 2007 final as the best result. Then, he lost against David Nalbandian in a forceful way (6-4 and 6-0 in 69 minutes) in the middle of a magical moment for the Argentine player. Nalbandian, who retired with 11 titles, had also beaten Nadal in the Madrid final (in both cases, also beating Roger Federer in the semifinals, something unique in history).
| The four major tournaments that Nadal has not won | Best result and years |
|---|---|
| Masters 1,000 Paris-Bercy | Final (2007) |
| Masters 1.000 de Miami | Final (2005, 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2017) |
| Shanghai Masters 1,000 | Final (2009 and 2017) |
| Masters Cup | Final (2010 and 2013) |
In the rest of his participations in Barcelona, Nadal always reached at least the quarterfinals (with four semifinals), except for 2022, his last time, when he lost in the second round against Tommy Paul. The American, however, found himself with a version of Spanish highly conditioned by inactivity: Due to abdominal discomfort (a constant in the final stretch of his career), Rafa came to that match after two months without competing. This year, despite being an option to prepare for the Davis Finals, Nadal ruled out his presence in the Masters 1,000. “It is true that for him it was a real option to come to Paris to play matches, something logical given that the Davis Cup will be his last event. but no, he has not made any request for an invitation”anticipated the tournament director, Cédric Pioline, before the final draw was drawn.
The ATP Finals, the great thorn
Among the four tournaments that Nadal has never won in his career, there is one that stands out above the rest: the ATP Finals. The Masters Cup, surely, and despite his full satisfaction with what he has achieved, will be the great thorn in Rafa’s legendary career. The Spaniard, who reached two finals in the event, was never able to lift the most important trophy on the circuit beyond the Grand Slams. The first time he fell in the fight for the title was in 2010, when Roger Federer beat him 6-3, 3-6 and 6-1; The other was in 2013, with the remaining leg of the Big Three as an obstacle, Djokovic being the executioner (6-3 and 6-4). In 2022, Nadal played the tournament for the last time, failing to advance beyond the group stage. With honor, in the form of a victory over Casper Ruud, the Spaniard said goodbye to the competition forever.
Nadal’s other two pending accounts are located more than 13,000 kilometers away. From Miami to Shanghai. In the case of the American Masters 1,000, it was not for lack of trying. In total, Rafa played five finals in the tournament, with the first in 2005 and the last 12 years later, in 2017. The event, despite having some of the most important postcards of the Spaniard’s career (it was the first place where Nadal beat Federer, in that same 2005), was cruel to the Spaniard, who was also unable to triumph in China. The winner of 22 Grand Slams, despite making a grand debut at the Shanghai Masters 1,000 (it was created in 2009 and reached the final), was never able to win the Asian title. First, the Ukrainian Nikolay Davydenko stood in his way; In 2017, his other final, it was Federer who stopped him. Pieces of a puzzle that, despite everything, also make up one of the best careers in the history of tennis.
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