Sports Illustrated Rafael Nadal Tribute!
Rafael Nadal's Grand Slam Victories
2005 French Open
def. Mariano Puerta, 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-1, 7-5
The 19-year-old Nadal, seeded fourth in his first French Open, beat Roger Federer in the semifinals (on his birthday) on his way to becoming the youngest Grand Slam champ since Michael Chang in 1989.
2006 French Open
def. Roger Federer, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(4)
After winning only one game in the first set, Nadal took advantage of Federer's tentative play and defended his title at Roland Garros, thwarting Federer's bid to hold all four major titles at the same time.
2007 French Open
def. Roger Federer, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Nadal lost serve only once (despite facing 17 break points) in winning his third consecutive French Open and again denying the top-ranked Federer the career Grand Slam. Federer fell to 1-6 against Nadal on clay.
2008 French Open
def. Roger Federer, 6-1, 6-3, 6-0
The two have played some epic matches, but this wasn't one of them. With a 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 rout, Nadal won his fourth consecutive French Open title and handed Federer his worst loss in 173 Grand Slam matches. During the trophy presentation, Nadal was moved to apologize to Federer for the most lopsided French final in 21 years.
2008 Wimbledon
def. Roger Federer, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7
In what many regard as the greatest match ever, Nadal halted Federer's five-year title run at the All England Club with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7 victory. Nadal needed 4 hours and 48 minutes -- and both players needed patience to wait out three rain delays -- to hand Federer his first loss on grass in six years. ''Probably my hardest loss, by far,'' Federer said.
2009 Australian Open
def. Roger Federer, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2
The top-ranked Nadal won his first Aussie Open title and defeated Federer in a Grand Slam final for the third consecutive time. Federer was reduced to tears after failing in his first bid to tie Pete Sampras' record of 14 major titles.
2010 French Open
def. Robin Söderling, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4
Nadal claims his fifth French Open title in a breezy two hours and 18 minutes, becoming only the second man in history (behind Bjorn Borg) to win five or more French Open titles.
2010 Wimbledon
def. Tomáš Berdych, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4
With Federer missing the Wimbledon final for the first time since 2002, Nadal rolled over the Czech to win the French and Wimbledon titles in the same summe for the second time in the past three years. Nadal broke Berdych four times and never lost his serve in the match. He improved to 5-0 in his last Grand Slam finals.
2010 U.S. Open
def. Novak Djokovic, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
Nadal won his first U.S. Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, beating Novak Djokovic in a match filled with fantastic shotmaking by both men and interrupted by a thunderstorm a day after it was postponed by rain. It's Nadal's third consecutive major championship and ninth overall. He is the seventh man in tennis history with at least one title from each Grand Slam tournament.
SI.com
Rafael Nadal's Grand Slam Victories
2005 French Open
def. Mariano Puerta, 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-1, 7-5
The 19-year-old Nadal, seeded fourth in his first French Open, beat Roger Federer in the semifinals (on his birthday) on his way to becoming the youngest Grand Slam champ since Michael Chang in 1989.
2006 French Open
def. Roger Federer, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(4)
After winning only one game in the first set, Nadal took advantage of Federer's tentative play and defended his title at Roland Garros, thwarting Federer's bid to hold all four major titles at the same time.
2007 French Open
def. Roger Federer, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Nadal lost serve only once (despite facing 17 break points) in winning his third consecutive French Open and again denying the top-ranked Federer the career Grand Slam. Federer fell to 1-6 against Nadal on clay.
2008 French Open
def. Roger Federer, 6-1, 6-3, 6-0
The two have played some epic matches, but this wasn't one of them. With a 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 rout, Nadal won his fourth consecutive French Open title and handed Federer his worst loss in 173 Grand Slam matches. During the trophy presentation, Nadal was moved to apologize to Federer for the most lopsided French final in 21 years.
2008 Wimbledon
def. Roger Federer, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7
In what many regard as the greatest match ever, Nadal halted Federer's five-year title run at the All England Club with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7 victory. Nadal needed 4 hours and 48 minutes -- and both players needed patience to wait out three rain delays -- to hand Federer his first loss on grass in six years. ''Probably my hardest loss, by far,'' Federer said.
2009 Australian Open
def. Roger Federer, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2
The top-ranked Nadal won his first Aussie Open title and defeated Federer in a Grand Slam final for the third consecutive time. Federer was reduced to tears after failing in his first bid to tie Pete Sampras' record of 14 major titles.
2010 French Open
def. Robin Söderling, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4
Nadal claims his fifth French Open title in a breezy two hours and 18 minutes, becoming only the second man in history (behind Bjorn Borg) to win five or more French Open titles.
2010 Wimbledon
def. Tomáš Berdych, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4
With Federer missing the Wimbledon final for the first time since 2002, Nadal rolled over the Czech to win the French and Wimbledon titles in the same summe for the second time in the past three years. Nadal broke Berdych four times and never lost his serve in the match. He improved to 5-0 in his last Grand Slam finals.
def. Novak Djokovic, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
Nadal won his first U.S. Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, beating Novak Djokovic in a match filled with fantastic shotmaking by both men and interrupted by a thunderstorm a day after it was postponed by rain. It's Nadal's third consecutive major championship and ninth overall. He is the seventh man in tennis history with at least one title from each Grand Slam tournament.
SI.com
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