Rafael Nadal Just Equalled Roger Federerโ€™s Grand Slam Wins Record
โ€” 12 October 2020

Rafael Nadal Just Equalled Roger Federerโ€™s Grand Slam Wins Record

โ€” 12 October 2020
Hamish Youl
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Hamish Youl

Roger Federer fans: now may be a good time to panic.

Spanish bull Rafael Nadal captured his 13th French Open crown overnight, putting Novak Djokovic to the sword in a straight-sets display of dominance. Not only does this title net Rafa a cool AUD $1.6M, but it also further extends his near-untarnished win/loss record at Roland Garros to 100/2 โ€“ his only two losses ever on court Philippe Chatrier having come from Robin Soderling in 2009, and Novak in 2015.

Prize money aside, thereโ€™s an even more important narrative behind Nadalโ€™s historic win in Paris: his equalling of Roger Federerโ€™s previously untouchable record 20 Grand Slam titles.

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After his recent Roland Garros success, Nadal has quickly reignited the Grand Slam race between the โ€˜Big threeโ€™ of modern-day tennis: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Nadal himself. Roger and Rafa now both sit comfortably at 20 Grand Slam titles apiece, whilst Serb Djokovic is a little further down the pecking order at (only) 17 titles.

The race is on โ€“ not only against each other, but against Father time as well.

At 39, Federer is nearly 5-years older than his rival Nadal and closing in on retirement. Similarly, one has to wonder how much longer Nadalโ€™s injury-prone body can withstand his extremely physical playing-style.

In either case, both players face a narrowing window for Grand Slam success.

Nadalโ€™s triumph in Paris was no doubt due in part to his skipping of the U.S. Open earlier this season. If youโ€™re a betting man, you can wager that Federer adopts a similar strategy come July next year, as he prepares for his favourite tournament on the calendar: Wimbledon.

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Hamish Youl
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