Rafael Nadal's dominance at Roland Garros: Undefeated for nearly 20 years

The legendary Rafael Nadal said goodbye to professional tennis after nearly two decades at the top of the sport. The Spaniard, winner of 22 Grand Slam titles, has been a formidable player on all surfaces, but it is particularly during the French spring that Nadal has had the most dominant moments, lifting the Roland Garros championship trophy 14 times. Here's a look at some of the former world No. 1's stats at the second major of the year.

Total domination at Roland Garros

Throughout 18 participations, Nadal has achieved a spectacular balance of 112 victories and only 4 defeats, which translates into a winning percentage of 96.5%, the highest in the history of Grand Slam tournaments.

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But unlike Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Rafa's dominance is reflected not only in the number of titles at Roland Garros, but also in the way he has won most of them:

• On four occasions, Nadal took the trophy without losing a single set: 2008, 2010, 2017 and 2020, something that shows how far above the rest Rafa was when playing on the Paris clay.

• In 2008, for example, he lost only 41 games in the entire tournament, a true brutality.

Defeats and their epic battles

The only defeats Nadal has suffered at Roland Garros have been to three players: Robin Soderling (2009) and Novak Djokovic (2015 and 2021). The loss to Soderling was particularly surprising, as Nadal had won all four previous titles and was considered unbeatable on Parisian clay.

However, his biggest rivalry has been with Djokovic, who has been able to beat him on two crucial occasions.

Nadal's other memorable battles at Roland Garros include his clashes against Roger Federer. The 2006 final is remembered as one of the best, where Rafa managed to beat the Swiss after an intense match that ended with a score of 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(4). This triumph would mark the real beginning of the rivalry against the Swiss, who at that time seemed to lose only to the Spaniard.

Rafa's unparalleled legacy in Paris

In addition to an unprecedented hegemony on any surface, his work ethic and competitive spirit have inspired generations of tennis players. Throughout his career, he has proven to be a fierce and resilient competitor, who has contributed to Spanish and world tennis by being a role model for young athletes;

The French capital became his second home, adopting Rafa as its own and honoring him by appointing him as Olympic torchbearer at the last Olympic Games. Although his career has come to an end, his fans will continue to relive the story of one of the most successful tennis players of all time.

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