World no. 1 Rafael Nadal ends his tennis season with fighting spirit

Rafael Nadal withdrew from the ATP World Tour Finals, but put on a display of his customary genius intensity, giving the fans who love him so much, the kind of powerhouse brilliance in his match against David Goffin, barely losing, and saying goodbye to fans like the true gentleman he is.

Rafael Nadal will not end his remarkable, resurgent year with a maiden ATP World Tour Final crown, but gave the effort every ounce of his intense genius he could. The Spaniard ends his season with the biggest prize there is men’s tennis, the top ranking, and a record for the oldest male to attain the No. 1 spot at the end of the year. In a career filled with unparalleled glory, Nadal reinvented his successful journey for tennis dominance this year.

Making an awe-inspiring push for No. 1

Nadal gave the post-grand slam season every bit of his best. Usually, a time when the 16-time grand slam champ has less success, he went into the Asian indoor hard court season guns blazing, winning another title at the China Open and making another final, in Shanghai, but losing to Roger Federer there, keeping the race to No. 1 still hot. Federer kept up the pressure with another win in Basel. It was up to a final push at the Paris Masters event for Nadal to claim the world No. 1 spot for himself, but he needed to fight through a painful knee injury to get through the final steps to his major prize.

The Spaniard knew he needed one more win to guarantee his place at the top and the 10-time French Open winner entered the Paris Masters 1000 tourney, knowing that he wasn’t 100 percent. Still, he achieved the win he needed, clinching it in a messy fashion, but showing the grit and fight we’ve come to love, beating NextGen winner Hyeon Chung 7-5, 6-3 to grab the No. 1 ranking. He made it all the way to the quarters, but that pesky knee forced him to withdraw there too.

13^th time, not a charm

Nadal ignored advice to skip the ATP Finals and soldiered on to try to achieve a major win that has always alluded him. Andy Murray won it last year to give him his one. Novak Djokovic has five, and Roger Federer’s going for his a historic seventh — besting his own record. Nadal has ended the year four times as the world’s best male player but wanted to make 2017 the year that he achieved his first title at the 02 Arena in London, to put the perfect cap to a perfect year.

You can only admire his battle-worthy efforts to get there. Rafa employed full attack mode in his first round match against a player he’s had close scraps with in the past — but always won — David Goffin, bouncing back and putting on a fighting show for his fans in the second set, but the grimaced expressions in the third told the entire story, handing Goffin his first win over the Spaniard, 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 4-6.

“I am off,” Nadal said after announcing his exit. “My season is finished.”

Nadal leaves London once again with disappointment but can be anything but with his season this year. His achievements in 2017 were celebrated in a presentation for his ATP world No. 1 trophy celebration the day before.

What a year

Rafa displayed Herculean determination all year long, to erase the disappointing 2016 that left him nursing a hurt wrist and sitting on the sidelines for most of the second half of the year, with some of the public writing him off. In 2017, he hit the gate running, displaying gladiator form all year long, beginning with the final in Australia, maintaining consistent form in the first quarter, establishing a clay run that will stand alone for at least a very long time with “La Decima” titles, including the French, and continuing like a freight train at the U.S. Open.

Time to rest up to defend his rank in the new year

Now, Nadal will get the opportunity to recuperate the knee in time to defend his rank and titles in the new year. Both Rafael Nadal — along with Roger Federer — set such a high bar this year. Their inspiring performances will be hard to live up to in the new year, but if sports fans have learned anything, writing either off is a mistake. A rejuvenated, motivated, 100 percent fit Nadal is a very difficult obstacle for any player.

The four defeats to Federer this year also have hurt the 31-year-old and he will likely be looking to retool his strategy when coming up against his great rival in 2018. Also coming back then will be Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Stan Wawrinka. Keeping the No. 1 will be tougher with these hungry opponents arriving in the new year injury-free and invigorated.

A testament to the sport all year long

Tennis fans will want more of what they saw this year. Watching the Nadal comeback, his fighting spirit, his love for the game, has been irresistible. 2017 has added to his legend and sports fans have lapped it up all year. Shining through all the success has been Nadal’s humble, honest, and generous demeanor. You could see this as he shook all the hands of the ball kids at the Miami Open in April, celebrated victory with teammates who are usually rivals at the Laver Cup, and thanked his beloved Uncle Tony in his speech after winning the U.S. Open slam.

“Thank you and Merry Christmas, everyone,” Nadal said, smiling through disappointment after announcing his withdrawal from the ATP Finals.

It is this positive spirit that his fans love.

“We hope to manage it, to have the right rest, the right work, and to try to be ready for the beginning of the next season,” Nadal said about the rest of the year.

The last time he took time off to prepare for a comeback was last year. Six titles, three grand slam finals, two GS wins, two Masters 1000 titles later, you can say he made the most of his rehab. With five (Murray, Djokovic, Wawrinka in addition to Federer and himself) of the big players back in hopefully top form, 2018 might prove to be even more fascinating. Wouldn’t it be fun to watch them all team up at the Laver Cup next year? Imagine the photo-ops then!