Rafael Nadal showed up at the French Open for the first time as a teenager in 2005 and left as the champion. He won it for the final time in 2022 at age 36 — his last major championship anywhere.
Fittingly, his bookend Grand Slam titles came at Roland Garros, and it’s impossible to discuss Nadal’s career without mentioning that site. Still, it’s also important to remember that he completed a career Grand Slam, earning at least two trophies at each of his sport’s four most prestigious tournaments.
As Nadal, now 38, gets set to head into retirement after the Davis Cup Final 8 — which begins Tuesday with his country, Spain, facing the Netherlands — here is a look at his 22 major triumphs, starting with the most recent:
What He Did: Improved to 14-0 in French Open finals after getting nerve-dulling injections in his left foot.
What He Said: “It’s obvious that with the circumstances that I am playing (in), I can’t — and I don’t want to — keep going.”
No. 21: 2022 Australian Open
Final: Beat Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5
What He Did: Became the first man in 57 years to win an Australian Open final after dropping the first two sets.
What He Said: “I just wanted to keep believing till the end.”
No. 20: 2020 French Open
Final: Beat Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5
What He Did: Pulled even with rival Federer at 20 Slam titles. Won the French Open without dropping a set for the fourth time.
What He Said: “In terms of these records, of course I care.”
No. 19: 2019 U.S. Open
Final: Beat Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4
What He Did: Became the first man to win majors after turning 30.
What He Said: “The nerves were so high. A crazy match.”
No. 18: 2019 French Open
Final: Beat Dominic Thiem 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1
What He Did: Became the first tennis player to win any Slam tournament a dozen times.
What He Said: “Let’s see for how long I am able to manage and to continue this.”
No. 17: 2018 French Open
Final: Beat Thiem 6-4, 6-3, 6-2
What He Did: Got past Thiem, the only man to beat Nadal on clay in 2017 or 2018.
What He Said: “If you tell me seven, eight years ago, that I will be here … having this trophy with me again, I will tell you that is something almost impossible. But here we are.”
