Being a father is the greatest event Rafa has experienced in 2022, a year he will never forget
The baler has won four titles this year, two of them Grand Slams, which has earned him finish as number 2 on the ATP
Without a doubt, 2022 will forever be marked in red in the history of Spanish tennis with Carlos Alcaraz and Rafa Nadal occupying number 1 and 2 of the ATP rankingsomething unprecedented and we could say that it was even unexpected when the post-pandemic year began with many unknowns, especially in terms of the possible performance of the Mallorcan tennis player.
Rafa will precisely remember this 2022 but not for his sporting successes, there will be a date that will remain forever marked in his mind and it will be none other than October 8, the day his first son was born, also named Rafael.
‘Papá Nadal’ saw in this way how his life took a real turn while he continued in competition in a year of ups and downs marked again by injuries, but in his desire for resilience, Rafa has managed to finish the year as number 2 in the world.
A year of lights and shadows
The year could not start better for Nadal, who won the Melbourne tournament, preparation for the first Grand Slam of the season, and it could be said that he gave the surprise by lifting the champion’s trophy at the Australian Open, ‘killing’ an entire NextGen and beating Daniil Medvedev in the final after an exciting match where He had to overcome two sets by 2-6, 6-7 (5) 6-4, 6-4 and 7-5, what a victory for the Spaniard.
Rafael Nadal with the Australian Open 2022 champion’s cup
| EFE
The good feelings continued in Acapulco, where he also took the title, already collecting three crowns in February. The year was looking very good.
In March came the first Masters 1000 of the year in Indian Wells and after an excellent tournament, reaching the final, he lost to Taylor Friz, visibly handicapped by an injury that he would confirm two days later. A stress crack in a rib.
He did not return to the tracks until the month of May in the Masters 1000 in Madrid where he arrived very just and gave in to Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals. The ghosts appeared again at the Masters 1000 in Rome with the return of the left foot injury that forced him to play lame and he lost in the round of 16 against Denis Shapovalov.
Bigger than anyone
There was only one week left for Roland Garros, his great goal and only a miracle could ensure the title. And the miracle came in the form of a new treatment that numbs the nerve so that the pain disappears. He won Roland Garros again against all odds, beating Casper Ruud in the final (6-3, 6-3, 6-0). He had just become the male tennis player with the most Grand Slams in history with 22 breaking the tie with Novak Djokovic (21) and advancing Roger Federer by two (20).
abs again
After the triumph in Paris, Rafa faced Wimbledon with good expectations, playing well and wanting to give another bell after overcoming his foot problems. But after some very tough quarterfinals again against Taylor Friz who won the Balearic Islands 3-6, 7-5, 3-6- 7-5, 7-6 (4), Nadal announced that he was withdrawing from the tournament due to a new abdominal injury. A blow that interrupted the good dynamics that he had achieved.
He needed a month to recover from these ailments and reappeared in August at the Cincinnati Masters 1000 but lost in the first round, acknowledging that “he was not ready to win today”, in reference to the abdominal injury and the time without competing.
From there, Nadal continued competing in search of good sensations, but the reality is that the results did not accompany him too much.
Bearing in mind that the Spaniard has greatly reduced his tennis calendar, he played the US Open where he reached the round of 16, a tie in which an exalted Frances Tiafoe was found who played the match of his life to defeat Rafa 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 and 6-3. The Spaniard could not do anything before the avalanche of tennis that the American showed that prevented Nadal from rising to number one in the world ranking.
fatherhood arrives
Rafa ran out of New York to be by his wife Mery’s side, about to give birth to their first child. A few days later, the couple announced the birth of his son Rafael, who has only been able to see his father win on a tennis court on one occasion, but it was a victory without continuity.
He gave in his debut at the Masters 1000 in Paris, a tournament that the Mallorcan has never managed to win, against the American Tommy Paul while he lost his first two duels at the ATP Finals in Turin and won the third but failed to qualify for the final draw.
Despite this unsuccessful end of the year as far as tennis is concerned, the assessment that the manacorí makes of his 2022 is extremely positive. He has won two Grand Slams and has remained among the best with options to be number one until the end. And, above all, logically his first child has been born, the best news of the year.
