Farewell to the Foro Italico: Rafael Nadal’s Last Stand at ATP Masters 1000 Roma 2024

A whole life linked to the unique emotions that a tennis player offers, decades witnessing the feat of the greatest emperor that the city of Rome has seen in the 21st century, but everything ends. Rafael Nadal face in this ATP Masters 1000 Roma 2024 his last appearance at the Foro Italico, one of the most beautiful and iconic stages on the circuit. He does it with the ambition to do something great and the desire to say goodbye to one of the most important tournaments in his career.

The trajectory of the Balearic Islands could never be understood without this event. He has contested a total 77 partieswith a balance as overwhelming as that of 69 wins and 8 losses, translated into 10 titles. Perhaps in several decades whoever consults the history books and sees Nadal’s records will think that they are a computer error, because they are not explainable from logic.

He appeared for the first time in the Italian capital in 2005 and did so with the aura of a great player in the making, although no one could have imagined what would happen in the following decades. A unique idyll that is worth reviewing with some of those matches that have forged Rafa’s legend in this tournament. Champion in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2019 and 2021, let no one rule out Nadal to score a winning eleventh. For the moment, let’s enjoy the memories that will always last in our memories and hearts.

– Nadal’s best matches in the Rome tournament

Final of the ATP Rome 2005 against Guillermo Coria; 6-4 3-6 6-3 4-6 7-6 (6)

Good old Rafa could not have had a better presentation in Roman society than in that edition. In that year, the Masters Series finals were still played in the best of five sets, and that match is one of the best of the entire 21st century. Fierce battle between two ground specialists and a match resolved by small details for Rafa.

Final of the ATP Rome 2006 against Roger Federer; 6-7 7-6 6-4 2-6 7-6

There are great examples of legendary matches between Rafa and Roger, but one of the most important, at least on clay, was this one. Nadal was beginning to be a big nightmare for the Swiss, who continued to be the best and saw how that young left-hander was taking over him. The match was tremendous, with extreme situations for both and final victory for Nadal.

Semifinal del ATP Roma 2007 against Nikolay Davydenko; 7-6 (3) 6-7 (8) 6-4

There were many tremendous duels that Rafa had with the Russian, one of his great betes noires in those first years of his professional career. His flat game and cold character bothered Nadal so much that he needed the best version of him to win this match. He would later beat Fernando González in the final without difficulties.

ATP Rome 2009 final against Novak Djokovic; 7-6 (2) 6-2

After falling at the first opportunity in 2008 against Ferrer, the Spaniard showed up hungry for revenge at the Foro Italico and managed to win the title without surrendering a single set. The only one who managed to win more than three games in a set was Djokovic, but Rafa’s mettle in peak moments tipped the balance on his side and he ended up flying down the court.

Semifinal del ATP Rome 2010 against Ernests Gulbis; 6-4 3-6 6-4

One of the two iconic duels between Spanish and Latvian in Rome. Gulbis found a way to bother Rafa, with excellent tennis based on great aggressiveness and many drop shots. Three years later he would give him a 1-6 in the round of 16, but already in this 2010 edition he pushed Nadal to the limit, who ended up winning the title by beating Ferrer in the final.

ATP Rome 2012 Final against Novak Djokovic; 7-5 6-3

After succumbing in the final of the 2011 edition to Djokovic, the Spanish player took his personal revenge with a scandalous match in the 2012 final, an edition in which he did not miss a single set. The match will always be remembered for having been played on a Monday, due to the incessant rain that fell in Rome. If it had not been possible to play that Monday, it would have been suspended without a winner. There were major altercations by the public against the organization.

Final of the ATP Rome 2013 against Roger Federer; 6-1 6-3

Seven years earlier they had arranged an exciting and tremendously close clash, but on this occasion, Nadal’s stellar review of the Swiss caused a wave of reactions worldwide. The distance on clay between the two continued to grow and this way of winning in the final was a blow to the Spaniard’s table.

ATP Rome 2018 Final against Alexander Zverev; 6-1 1-6 6-3

We would have to wait five years to see Nadal reigning again in the Foro Italico. Djokovic, Wawrinka, again Djokovic and Thiem were his executioners in the years between 2014 and 2017. However, in the 2018 edition the supreme emperor would regain command. He suffered against Fognini in the quarterfinals, beat Novak in the semifinals and achieved a very creditable victory in a grand final against Zverev.

ATP Rome 2019 Final against Novak Djokovic; 6-0 4-6 6-1

Unforgettable. Seeing Nadal taking a dig at his great historical rival was something no one was prepared for. The Serbian did not arrive in his best physical or emotional state, but he found himself completely overwhelmed in the first and third sets. Huge morale boost for Nadal who would add another title in Paris weeks later.

ATP Rome 2021 Round of 16 against Denis Shapovalov; 3-6 6-4 7-6 (3)

Nadal already arrived at that edition with certain doubts due to how complicated everything had become after COVID. He was not in the best condition, but he managed to carry out a match that he had lost against Shapovalov, raising match balls against him. A few days later, he lifted the title against Djokovic, although the Serbian would later defeat him in the semifinals of Roland Garros.

2024-05-08 22:49:40
#Nadals #matches #Rome #tournament