There was a glint in Rafael Nadal’s eye as he waited patiently to meet his Real Madrid heroes in 2003. Madridistathis was an opportunity not to be missed.
Taking some time out of his schedule at the Madrid Masters, there was a sense of excitement in the 18-year-old Nadal as he held the famous white jersey, waiting for it to be decorated with autographs.
One by one they came to him; Raúl, David Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane. Superstars who defined the era of the Galacticos at Real Madrid.
Now, 21 years later, it is Nadal who is riding off into the sunset as a bona fide Galactico of the tennis world, a key part of a quartet that shaped the greatest era in the history of the game.
Rafa, Roger, Novak, Andy; four players who between them broke every record in the book and pushed each other to new heights during a truly golden era for men’s tennis.
Only Djokovic remains. Given his remarkable stamina, it remains eminently possible that the 37-year-old Serbian can further extend his record of 24 Grand Slam titles.
A young Rafa Nadal has his Real Madrid shirt signed by Spanish football legend Raul
Nadal and Federer embrace at the end of the incredible 2008 Wimbledon final
Nadal with the Wimbledon trophy in 2008 after his five-set victory over Federer
But it is the retirement of the 38-year-old Nadal, with 22 Grand Slam crowns himself, that has brought such an outpouring of love and appreciation for one of the game’s all-time greats.
Given his utter dominance at the French Open for the better part of two decades, it is only natural that many will view Nadal’s career through the prism of Roland Garros.
The undisputed King of Clay won fourteen of his Grand Slams in Paris, a run that started in 2005 and ended in 2022.
Overall, Nadal’s record in matches at Roland Garros is 112-4. That’s 112 wins and only four losses. Rarely can an athlete dominate an event for so long.
Nadal’s mastery of the clay courts led to the French Open trophy becoming his own personal possession. With his trademark ‘nibblefest’, where he playfully tried to bite into the trophy, he won it so many times that he could probably have eaten it three times.
But for British tennis fans, the most cherished memories of Nadal are more likely to be associated with a summer evening in 2008 when his brilliance lit up the fading light on Center Court at Wimbledon.
He defeated Roger Federer in a truly epic final. Nadal took the first two sets, but Federer came roaring back to force it into a decider.
Nadal would ultimately emerge victorious, winning the match in five sets, with the match lasting four hours and 48 minutes. It was widely regarded as the greatest match ever played. Not just at Wimbledon, but in the history of the sport.
John McEnroe declared live on the BBC: ‘The best match I’ve ever seen.’
Bjorn Borg watched from the Royal Box and said: ‘That is the best tennis match I have ever seen in my life. I was just happy to be there, to be part of that final. You can’t see a better tennis match.’
It ended a run in which Federer had won five men’s singles titles in a row at SW19. As the lights dimmed and cameras flashed around him, Nadal climbed into the stands to celebrate with his family and coaching staff.
Nadal defeated Scotland’s Andy Murray on his way to the 2008 Wimbledon final
He soon found himself in the Royal Box. He was a young matador from Mallorca, who walked around Center Court and whose power and aggression would thrill the Wimbledon crowd for a generation.
There was a mutual respect and friendship between Nadal and Federer that would shape their rivalry. During a charity match in 2010, Federer asked: “Do you already know what you’re giving me for Christmas, Rafa?”
The crowd erupted in laughter and it typified the relationship between these two giants of the game. They were the best of enemies in their quest for Grand Slam titles, but also the best of friends in lighter moments.
The issue of popularity among fans is something Djokovic has always struggled with, but not in the case of the other three members of men’s tennis’ The Big Four.
With Federer, you couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer elegance and artistry of a man simply gliding around the tennis court.
With Murray you were guaranteed to go through a rollercoaster of emotions. He took you on a wild ride where no match was ever lost until his opponent won the last point.
To see Nadal in his splendor was to witness the perfect marriage of sublime technique and raw physical strength. His forehand, often delivered with erratic spin on the ball, was sometimes unplayable.
There was also a charm and sympathy in Nadal. With his bulging biceps, tanned complexion and good looks, every man wanted to be like him and every woman wanted to be with him. A housewife’s favorite, if you will.
Nadal leaves as one of the all-time greats and Murray fans will no doubt wonder how many more Grand Slams their man would have won had it not been for Rafa, Novak and Roger.
Murray never faced Nadal in a Grand Slam final. Most of his pain was inflicted by Djokovic and Federer, who between them were responsible for all eight of Murray’s major final defeats.
It was Djokovic who was on the other side of the net as Murray eventually won his first two Grand Slams at the US Open in 2012 and Wimbledon in 2013, before adding a third against Milos Raonic in 2016.
At that time, Nadal had predicted two years earlier that the Golden Age for the Big Four could soon come to an end.
At the 2014 French Open, he said: ‘I think our generation is on its way out now. We’ve been here a long time. A generation is walking away and others will replace us. It won’t happen overnight, but it will come.”
The Big Four… Nadal, Murray, Federer and – last man – Novak Djokovic
Fortunately, he was extremely premature with that assessment. Nadal played until he was 38, despite being plagued by injuries over the past two years.
Federer was still playing at Wimbledon, just a month shy of his 40th birthday. Murray continued to fight until he was 37, before injuries finally forced him to retire at the age of 37.
Although Murray never faced Nadal in a Grand Slam final, the Spaniard still broke the hearts of British tennis fans on several occasions when the biggest prizes of his game were up for grabs.
Nadal defeated Murray in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon in 2008 on his way to that epic victory over Federer.
He would also triumph over the Scot twice more in SW19, knocking out Murray in the semi-finals in successive years in 2010 and 2011.
He would spend a total of 209 weeks at number 1 in the world during a stellar career. Now that the curtain has fallen, a true legend of the game will prepare for his final appearance at the Davis Cup Finals next month.
He leaves the game without an unconquered challenge. A tennis Galactico whose sublime talents helped redefine his sport. As far as legacy goes, that’s not bad. VamosRafa.
