Nadal's Throne: Two unshakable records that even Djokovic can't match
Rafael Nadal has had many career successes, but with two records, he is an insurmountable peak in the future of tennis, waiting to be looked up to by future generations.
The first is his feat of winning the first prize with Roland Garros 14 times. It's a moonshot that is hard to match, even in 2024. His old rival Novak Djokovic has been crowned 10 times at the Australian Open, but it's hard to believe he can win four more times in Melbourne.
While "never say no" is the Serbian champion's motto, and it seems that only he has the possibility of breaking the record, there is another record of Nadal that is equally unbreakable, putting him above the crowd and even surpassing Djokovic and Federer: from his first French Open victory in 2005 to 2014, Nadal has won at least one Grand Slam title for ten consecutive years, the absolute record in men's singles in the Open era.
In second place on this list are two legends and a rising star, both of whom have won Grand Slams eight years in a row: Bjorn Borg from 1974 to 1981, Pete Sampras from 1993 to 2000 and Roger Federer from 2003 to 2010. Djokovic was at the bottom of the list because of the regret of 2017. However, he has won six consecutive titles from 2011 to 2016 and from 2018 to 2023, and would be able to equal Nadal's record if he wins at least one Grand Slam in each of the next four years.
At the same time, Nadal, who has recovered from a severe hip flexor injury, is about to return as king. The 22-time Grand Slam champion will return to action at the ATP 250 in Brisbane in the first week of 2024, followed by the Australian Open. Many are looking forward to his form: Is the level of competition back to the same level? Can you get back in contention?
It remains to be seen whether Nadal can continue to write a new legacy. But there is no doubt that those two dazzling records have forged him an unshakable throne that even a great opponent like Djokovic can only look up to. Like the empty Roland Garros Championship Chair, it awaits a future challenger, but always retains the glory that belongs to Nadal alone.
The history of tennis is endless, new heroes are constantly emerging, but some people use records to forge eternity. Nadal is to Roland Garros, Jordan is to basketball, Pele is to football, and their enduring achievements have set an unattainable benchmark for future generations, and at the same time inspired generations of people who love the sport to pursue bigger dreams. Autumn and Winter Check-in Challenge