22-time Grand Slam champion, one step away from the top of the ranking, despite the fact that thirty-six years of age weigh heavily on him. Humble, responsible and above all aware of his difficulties. Rafael Nadal in 2022 has experienced it all, one could say for the umpteenth time in an extraordinary career.
After a streak of twenty-one consecutive successes (capped precisely by the Australian Open and Roland Garros, but also by the initial success in Melbourne and the crown in Acapulco), the Spanish phenomenon lived through a troubled period since the defeat against Taylor Fritz in Indian Wells.
On and off the court, also given the birth of Nadal’s baby. Raphael indeed. He won in Paris, of course, but after the round of 16 loss at Flushing Meadows and the unfortunate indoor interlude with his debut loss at Paris-Bercy and a 1-2 finals win over Casper Ruud when the draw was complete-, the Spaniard went to South America for a series of exhibitions with the Norwegian, who instead has garnered two Slam finals and had his chances with Alcaraz at the Us Open to reach the top ranking.
In summary: a planned trip that excluded Nadal from the Davis Cup final with Spain (also an orphan of Alcaraz) in favor of new destinations, fun and curiosity. The same goes for Ruud, who will not play in the team competition and who reached the final with Novak Djokovic.
Everything is ready then for the last act in Mexico, with the game that will be played at 7:25 p.m. and that will tell us if it will be 4-1 or 3-2 for the Spaniard, who has already won three previous games and has only lost in Quito with a double 6-4.
Rafa defeated World No. 3 Casper Ruud
Rafael Nadal concluded his Latin American tour in Mexico on Friday. “When I’m in Mexico I don’t feel like a stranger, I don’t feel like a foreigner, in the end when you’re in a country where we speak the same language and there are more things that unite us, when I arrive here I feel at home,” he said.
“The reception of the people I feel is spectacular. It is a country where people know how to have fun, a happy country. And well, in all the places I have been in the country in Cozumel, Tulum, Playa Mujeres, and Acapulco, I have always been happy, I have always taken good memories of the places, but also of the people, of the food, of everything, and that always encourages me to come back,” he added.
