Rafael Nadal completes his remarkable year as the world No. 1, but will he be able to win his first ATP Final title?
Rafael Nadal has had an incredible year, finishing at the very top, nearly a decade after the last time he finished the year there. Winning his opening match against Chung Hyeon (7-5, 6-3) at the Paris Masters, the race to the No. 1 spot with his great frenemy Roger Federer was over. Up until now, the captivating rivalry reached a fevered pitch all year long, with the Swiss player within possible ranking points to make it a contest. Nadal won the ATP 500 tournament in Beijing and Federer won the ATP 500 in Basel. With Nadal withdrawing from the Swiss Indoors, Federer was able to gain the extra 500 points he needed to make it more of a contest, but once he announced his own withdrawal from the Paris Masters, it was all but inevitable that Nadal would collect the few points he needed to guarantee the top spot for himself, topping off a historic year for the Spaniard. He is now the oldest end-of-year No. 1, at age 31, something that he didn’t even seem to know.
History as world No. 1
“Ever?” was Nadal’s surprise reaction. “Yes—in history,” is what the journalist told him. “Really?” was his response. You gotta love the guy.
It’s been quite a ride for the beloved sportsman. Winning a series of “La Decima” titles during clay season, including an amazing record 10th French Open grand slam, which brought him to a GS total of 15. As if that wasn’t enough, he went on in ruthless fashion, winning a 16th grand slam with his U.S. Open title, putting him behind Federer in total grand slam tally by just three, exactly where they started at the beginning of the year (14 to Fed’s 17). Along with those majors came two more Masters 1000 titles at Madrid and Monte Carlo, including making it to the Miami Masters final as well (where he lost to Federer). With a nine year span between the last time he was No. 1 and now, he holds the record for the longest time between regaining the top spot. It’s been a fairytale year for the Spanish legend.
“It was an amazing year, just amazing,” said Nadal according to the ATP. “I never would have imagined I would end up as No. 1 at the end of the season again. Finishing the year as No. 1 means a lot to me. It wasn’t one of my goals going into the season — far from it. After returning from a difficult period in my career and battling through injuries, this wasn’t on my mind.”
What a difference from 2016
A far cry from his condition last year, sitting on the sidelines for most of the second half of 2016, nursing a wrist injury and falling to ranking #9, the Mallorican native focused on the opening of his new tennis academy, inviting his also-injured friend and rival, Roger Federer, to appear in the opening ceremony. After all, the two legends had nothing better to do, like sweep all the major prizes in their sport, like they did this year!
Nadal beats Chung 7-5, 6-3 in R2 Paris Masters to clinch his 4th year-end No. 1 ranking. Quite an achievement. This was only 16 months ago pic.twitter.com/BHgyQXisun
— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) November 1, 2017
Building on his resurgent competition success this year, Nadal approached attaining the No. 1 ranking with his customary fearlessness, prioritizing the Asian post-grand slam season, a time where he’s generally been less successful. Cinching up his fourth year-end No. 1 (2008, 2010, 2013, and now 2017) rank became a closer reality with his win at the China Open, which Federer decided to skip.
A matter of priorities
“Being No. 1 for a part of the year is great, that’s obvious, but ending the year No. 1 is even better,” Nadal said at a press conference at the Paris Masters. “The two things are beautiful and important, but without a doubt there’s a big difference, if you ask me. In the end, this is like a league and when you finish a year as No. 1, it means you were the best player for that season.”
A win at the Paris Masters would have put Nadal at the top of another statistic, 1 more Masters 1000 title than the tennis player he is tied with at 30, Novak Djokovic. However, after his match win, he played a much tighter game against Pablo Cuevas, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3, with the Spaniard withdrawing from his next match, a quarterfinal, due to the same knee injury that bothered him when he lost to Roger Federer in the Shanghai Open a few weeks ago.
It all depends on the knee
Although his doctor has said that the knee tendon has suffered, scans have showed no new damage and as of a day ago, Nadal had planned to compete in London, at the ATP Finals, a big priority for the 16- time grand slam champion. Surprisingly, he is the only one of the Big Four who has never won there. If he decides to play, the rivalry between him and Federer will continue there, where the 19-time grand slam champ is going for his record seventh title, with his last one coming six years ago.
The ATP Tour Finals begin in a week’s time, but Rafa fans are urging their hero to let his knee heal and not push himself to compete.
“For me it’s not about London. For me it’s about the longer term,” said Nadal, after withdrawing from the Paris Masters. “And longer term, I’m going to do the treatment I believe that is going to be more safe and more important to keep playing tennis as long as possible.”
Fans will have to wait and see, for now, if Rafa Nadal will be gunning for a first-ever ATP Finals title over taking the time to let his knee heal and focus on the long-term. In just a few months, after all, it all begins again, in Australia, in the new year.