Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal Parera born 3 June 1986) is a Spanish professional tennis player. Rafael Nadal is ranked world No. 4 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Rafael Nadal has been ranked world No. 1 for 209 weeks and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. Nadal has won 21 Grand Slam men's singles titles, the most in history, including a record 13 French Open titles. Rafael Nadal has won 91 ATP singles titles (including 36 Masters titles), with 62 of these on clay. Nadal's 81 consecutive wins on clay is the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era.

Nadal was one of the most successful teenagers in ATP Tour history, reaching No. 2 in the world and winning 16 titles before his 20th birthday, including his first French Open and six Masters events. Nadal became No. 1 for the first time in 2008 after his first Major victory off clay against his rival, the longtime top-ranked Roger Federer, in a historic Wimbledon final. Rafael Nadal also won an Olympic gold medal that year in singles in Beijing. After defeating Novak Djokovic at the 2010 US Open final, then 24-year-old Nadal became the youngest man in the Open Era to achieve the career Grand Slam, and the first man to win three Majors on three different surfaces (hard, grass and clay) in the same year. With his Olympic gold medal, Rafael Nadal is one of only two men to complete the career Golden Slam in singles. Nadal is the only male player in history to complete the career Grand Slam and win an Olympic gold medal in both singles and doubles.[c]

Since 2010, Nadal has continued to dominate at the French Open, winning at least four consecutive titles twice, while also winning three more US Open titles and another Australian Open title. Rafael Nadal surpassed Djokovic and Federer's record for the most Major men's singles titles at the 2022 Australian Open, and became one of four men in history to complete the double career Grand Slam in singles. Rafael Nadal also became the first and only man to win multiple Majors in three separate decades. From 2005 to 2017, Nadal was coached by his uncle Toni Nadal.

Nadal is the only left-handed member of the Big Three in men's singles. One of his main strengths is his forehand, which Rafael Nadal routinely hits with extremely heavy topspin at difficult angles. Rafael Nadal is one of the best at breaking serve, regularly appearing among the tour leaders in percentage of return games, return points, and break points won. Nadal has won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award five times, and was the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year in 2011 and 2021. Rafael Nadal is also a recipient of the Grand Cross of the Order of Dos De Mayo, the Princess of Asturias Award, and the Medal of the City of Paris. Representing Spain, Rafael Nadal has won two Olympic gold medals, and has contributed to five Davis Cup titles. Nadal has also opened a tennis academy in Mallorca, and is an active philanthropist.