Rafael Nadal: The UNLUCKIEST Tennis player ever?
In addition to his injuries, another reason for his not-so-favorable luck is his rivalry with the other two modern-day greats of tennis, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. This trio of players, often referred to as the Big Three, has gone on to dominate men’s tennis for over a decade, meaning that Nadal has had to contend with the pressure of being constantly compared to two other generational talents.
Djokovic, in particular, has been a constant thorn in Nadal’s side, with their rivalry marked by long, physically taxing matches and the Serbian having the upper hand on many occasions, especially when it came to hard courts and major finals.
Federer, on the other hand, was closer to Nadal’s playing style but did not miss the chance to take away some of the Mallorcan’s opportunities for titles, particularly at Wimbledon, where Nadal lost several heartbreaking finals, like in 2006 and 2007.
Djokovic holds a dominant head-to-head record over Nadal, especially on hard courts, which are crucial to overall Grand Slam success. As of 2024, Djokovic leads their head-to-head 30–29. The Serbian even defeated Nadal in the highly anticipated Wimbledon 2011 final, denying Nadal his third Wimbledon title.
Djokovic was at his peak and that match was seen as a passing of the torch, with him emerging as the new dominant force. Then there was the 2012 Australian Open final, which is considered one of the greatest matches in tennis history. Djokovic defeated Nadal in a five-set marathon, with the match lasting for over five hours.
It took a physical toll on both players, but Djokovic came out on top and Nadal lost another hard-fought opportunity for his second Major title Down Under.
As for his losses to Federer, Nadal’s rivalry with the Swiss maestro is known as one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport. Apart from being great friends, the two have created some historical moments on the tennis court together, with Federer defeating Nadal on a number of occasions.
Take the 2006 Wimbledon final for instance. It was Nadal’s first Wimbledon final and while he wasn’t yet the dominant force he would become, the match was still a pivotal moment in his rivalry with Federer. Federer was the defending champion and Nadal was rapidly emerging as one of the best players in the world.
While Federer won in straight sets, Nadal was able to win a tiebreak and make him work hard for his victory, which set the stage for their future showdowns. A year later, the two locked horns once again in the 2007 Wimbledon final where Nadal made a strong push to dethrone Federer at Wimbledon, taking two sets off him.
It was quite a close contest and the match shed light on how far Nadal had come on grass, which was considered his weakest surface. Federer had the mental edge, however, and his ability to win critical points in the tightest of moments, particularly in the first two tiebreaks, made the difference. This was another loss that showed Nadal’s potential and also his inability to break Federer’s reign at Wimbledon.