Year report Rafael Nadal: A difficult year full of highlights; very good
The year 2022 was certainly not smooth for Rafael Nadal . Nevertheless, the Spaniard can look back on an extremely successful season.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Dec 08, 2022, 11:21 am
The 2022 season was a turbulent one for Rafael Nadal. But at the same time a highly successful one. Because although the Spaniard was (once again) dogged by bad luck with injuries, two more Grand Slam titles went to his account in the past season. Consequently, Nadal will end the year as second in the world rankings.
But let's jump back to the beginning of the season. When Nadal announced at the end of December that he had been infected with the corona virus, there was suddenly a big question mark over his appearance at the Australian Open. About a month later he even lifted the trophy in Melbourne. Against all expectations. Unforgotten is the final victory over Daniil Medvedev, when Nadal caught up a 0:2 set deficit.
Nadal catches up with bad luck with injuries
With plenty of confidence in his luggage, Nadal also won the title in Acapulco after his triumph at the Australian Open before a broken rib stopped him in the Indian Wells final. The Spaniard was sidelined and only returned to the tour in Madrid. When foot problems visibly prevented him from walking a week later in Rome, winning a 14th title at the French Open seemed almost impossible.
But Nadal made the impossible possible once again. The 36-year-old defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud in Paris, once again proving his supremacy on clay. And that despite the big foot problems that Nadal could only control with injections. The fact that he has now apparently gotten the pain caused by Müller-Weiss syndrome under control thanks to pulsed radiofrequency therapy marked what was probably the biggest victory of the past season for Nadal a few days after the success at the Stade Roland Garros.
Drop in performance after Wimbledon
But it was not over for Nadal with the injury problems after the successful interventions on his left foot. The Iberian was unable to compete in the Wimbledon semifinals against Nick Kyrgios due to a tear in his abdominal muscle, and the same problem affected him at the US Open. In New York, Nadal lost to Frances Tiafoe in the round of 16.
After that, not much went together for Nadal, the emotional highlight in autumn for the 22-time Grand Slam winner was the farewell double with Roger Federer. After all, the 36-year-old was able to look forward to a conciliatory conclusion in the last game of the season against Casper Ruud. Despite the numerous injury problems, there was enough reason for Nadal to be happy in 2022 anyway. Conclusion: very good.