Despite playing just one competitive match in the past 54 days, Rafael Nadal remains impenetrable at the majors in season 2022.
Nadal took his Grand Slam record to a flawless 20-0 this season, thanks to a hard-fought 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-3 victory over main-draw debutant Rinky Hijikata.
The young Australian, a wildcard who had only recently cracked the world’s top 200, embraced the night session occasion at Arthur Ashe Stadium to threaten the second seed.
It was the first time Nadal had ever dropped the first set of his opening-round US Open match, in 16 visits to Flushing Meadows.
But, unperturbed, the 36-year-old eventually out-muscled and out-competed the 21-year-old, scorching a forehand winner up the line to end the contest in a touch over three hours.
WHAT A SHOT BY RAFA TO WIN IT ?#USOpen pic.twitter.com/QNGJPsOYJx
— ESPN (@espn) August 31, 2022
Reminded of his glittering Grand Slam record this year, Nadal tempered this analysis.
“I didn't lose a match, but I didn't win all three (majors),” he said ruefully.
“In some way, was even tougher. Retiring is, in my opinion, much tougher than lose. The sports is about winning or losing, not about retiring. When you retire, you can't compete.
“In some way it's part of my tennis career, too. In the other hand, of course I'm having an amazing year in terms of results.
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“(I) can't complain much. Even if I went through (injuries), I was able to win tournaments and be in the position today. Today I was able to win a match again, no?”
The last time Nadal lost one at a Slam was back in June 2021, when he fell to Novak Djokovic in a brutal Roland Garros semifinal.
After a foot injury decimated the back half of that year, he returned with a vengeance in 2022, scooping the Australian Open and Roland Garros titles back-to-back for the first time in his storied career.
He also won his way through to the last four at Wimbledon, before an abdominal injury forced him to withdraw prior to his semifinal against Nick Kyrgios.
And that led to his inactivity since then; his only on-court appearance came in Cincinnati, where he was upstaged in his opening match by eventual champion Borna Coric.
Such have been his physical struggles – and resulting absences – this season that three of Nadal’s last four tournaments have been Grand Slams.
But these events are where he has been at his best.
He is particularly strong at the US Open, where he is appearing for the first time since the most recent of his four titles in 2019.
He now owns an eight-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows, and takes another step towards equalling Serena Williams’ Open Era record of 23 major singles titles – provided she doesn’t increase her own tally this fortnight.
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“I was a little bit nervous, no? First match here in New York after three years, night session, it's always exciting. I went through this tough moment,” said Nadal, whose last loss in New York came by retirement to Juan Martin del Potro in the 2018 semifinals.
“But then I think I play better. Was not perfect. But happy. In some way was not the day to play perfect. Is a day to just make the job done, and that's what I did.”