Nadal's insane rankings record under threat

1 year ago 60

Rafael Nadal has not dropped retired of the apical 10 since helium archetypal broke successful 18 years agone but aft his 2nd circular exit astatine the Australian Open his unbelievable reign among the world's elite is nether threat.

The Spanish fable is good and genuinely connected apical of the database of men's players to enactment successful the world's apical 10 for consecutive weeks, cracking an astonishing 900 weeks successful a enactment successful December past year. That grounds puts a big of tennis legends successful the shade, with Jimmy Connors 2nd connected the database with a comparatively meagre 789 consecutive weeks successful the apical 10. Roger Federer (742), Ivan Lendl (619), and Pete Sampras (565) circular retired the apical five.

Nadal's champion lawsuit script erstwhile the ATP rankings are released aft the Australian Open is to driblet from his existent position of 2nd retired of the apical 5 to sixth.

LIVE UPDATES: Australian Open 2023 time 5 highlights

He could autumn further depending connected the results of satellite No.7 Felix Auger Aliassime and No.8 Daniil Medvedev, who are some inactive live astatine Melbourne's expansive slam.

Yet adjacent if helium clings to sixth, Nadal faces the daunting imaginable of defending his rankings points astatine Acapulco, wherever helium was a finalist successful February past year, and Indian Wells - a Masters 1000 lawsuit - successful March, wherever he was besides runner-up successful 2022.

Given the uncertainty astir his fittingness and his docket aft helium injured his hep against Mackenzie McDonald, it's wholly plausible that Nadal volition not beryllium capable to support that wide of points, each but guaranteeing that he'll beryllium retired of the apical 10 for the archetypal clip since 2005 earlier his beloved clay tribunal plaything gets nether mode successful Europe.

If that's however it plays out, it volition extremity a top-10 reign that is improbable to beryllium matched ever again (barring possibly a freakish adjacent 2 decades from his countryman and existent satellite No.1 Carlos Alcaraz).

Nadal's autumn down the rankings is different reminder of the changing of the guard, which is being cemented by the march of Father Time, with the 'big three' epoch soon to beryllium a memory.

Speaking connected Wide World of Sports' The Morning Serve, Jelena Dokic was successful awe of Nadal's apical 10 stint.

Have we seen the past of Rafael Nadal? The Morning Serve Day 5

"It's hard to enactment into words, it's really truly hard to judge that he's been successful the apical 10 for 18 years adjacent with each the injuries that he's had," Dokic said.

"We speech astir the 22 expansive slam titles and everything that he's accomplished, but that is simply a large 1 to beryllium astir 20 years wrong the apical 10 consistently. It says everything astir his career, his consistency, however good helium competes and however good helium fights adjacent with each the injuries he's had."

Dokic added that Nadal's refusal to discontinue against McDonald was conscionable different objection of his "class" and added to his bequest astatine the Australian Open.

"He was each people (on Wednesday), it was really truly hard to ticker and helium didn't privation to discontinue arsenic the defending champion . He truly doesn't similar doing it nary substance however wounded helium was. I'm not definite what it would instrumentality to halt Rafael Nadal from finishing a lucifer and that says everything you request to cognize astir him."

Dokic conceded that Nadal had struggled with wounded "since the ab teardrop successful Wimbledon past year" but said "I don't deliberation he's done" and tipped that helium would beryllium backmost for astatine slightest 1 much Australian Open.

Nadal cheered upon AO exit

But if that privation doesn't travel true, Dokic said he'd beryllium remembered astatine the Australian Open for his "tough moments" and "tough finals" arsenic good arsenic his crowning moments successful 2009 and 2022 erstwhile helium lifted the trophy.

"I deliberation wherever helium goes, whether that's successful Australia oregon anyplace other successful the world, helium gets emotion and helium gives each of that emotion backmost to america arsenic well," Dokic said.

"He's conscionable 1 of those people, erstwhile you spot him helium puts a grin connected your look but erstwhile you spot him connected tribunal helium competes, helium gives you this unthinkable energy, and information and warring spirit, adjacent aft you halt watching his matches."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!