Rafael Nadal Selects the Three Most Memorable Matches of His Career

Rafael Nadal selected his three most memorable career matches during a recent interview with L’Equipe, choosing three hard-court and grass-court finals while leaving off every victory from clay.

The tennis star looked back on more than two decades of competition after his retirement, highlighting matches that defined his versatility across different surfaces. Punto de Break reported on November 10, 2026, that the Grand Slam champion made his selections during a feature interview in Paris for Le Magazine de L’Equipe.

Wimbledon 2008 Final Against Roger Federer

“Me quedo con Wimbledon 2008, Australia 2022 y a lo mejor… US Open 2013,” Nadal told L’Equipe.

That five-set victory over Roger Federer in London remains widely regarded by players and analysts as one of the greatest matches in tennis history. Darkness nearly suspended the contest before Nadal secured the title on the grass courts of the All England Club.

Australian Open 2022 Comeback Against Daniil Medvedev

In Melbourne, Nadal engineered a dramatic turnaround from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev to claim his second Australian Open title.

“La remontada inverosímil ante Medvedev que le dio su segundo y anhelado Open de Australia,” said the coverage detailing the hard-court final that tested the Spaniard’s physical limits over nearly five and a half hours.

US Open 2013 Final Against Novak Djokovic

The third selection points to his hard-court rivalry with Novak Djokovic in New York.

Nadal highlighted “la confirmación de su dominio también en pistas duras ante Novak Djokovic en aquella inolvidable gira estadounidense,” sealing another major crown at Flushing Meadows.

Disagreement Over the 2009 Fernando Verdasco Semifinal

The French publication’s interviewer suggested that Nadal’s epic five-set semifinal win against compatriot Fernando Verdasco at the 2009 Australian Open stood out as his most memorable match.

Nadal pushed back against that assessment, explaining that his level of play did not match the drama on the court.

“Entiendo que fue un partido muy emocionante, pero para mí no fue un partido en el que yo jugué increíble,” Nadal told L’Equipe.

“Fue un partido difícil, Fernando estaba jugando a un nivel altísimo, seguramente el nivel más alto que yo le haya visto en toda su carrera deportiva, en aquel torneo,” Nadal said.

“Sin embargo, era una semifinal, no una final… y también, no sé, no tengo ese recuerdo de estar jugando… aunque estaba destrozado, creo que jugué a un nivel más alto en la final que en la semifinal,” Nadal added.

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