Tennis world en n 49 Tennis World issue 49 | Page 4

Nadalʼs Best Year?
Marco Di Nardo
At the beginning of the 2017 season, it let’s compare this year to Rafa’s other
seemed utterly impossible to think that year-end number one seasons to see
Rafael Nadal would ever be able to return which was his best.
to the world number one ranking. Ever
more absurd would have been the notion
that he could return to the top spot with a 2008
quarter of the season still to play. Nadal Year-end ranking: Number 1
had a terrible year in 2015, and 2016 was Wins/Losses: 82/11 (88%)
mediocre at best for someone used to Titles: 8
winning multiple Slams every year. But Slam Titles: 2
after a bright start at the Australian Open, Masters Titles: 3
where he reached the final, Nadal gained Wins/Losses in Slams: 24/2
more and more confidence each week,
which ultimately culminated in him winning In 2008, Nadal reached the world number
the French Open as well as the US Open, one ranking for the first time, surpassing
among many other titles. Roger Federer on August 17, 2008. The
Swiss had been at the top of the world
Now, with the ATP World Tour Finals just rankings for 237 consecutive weeks up to
around the corner, Nadal is firmly in that point, by far the longest stretch in the
control as the world number one, and in history of men’s tennis. The start of the
pole position to end the year on top for the 2008 season was actually a relatively slow
fourth time (his previous year-end number one for Nadal, who did not win his first title
ones came in 2008, 2010 and 2013). With until April in Monte-Carlo, though he did
Federer not playing at all on the clay this play well on the American hard courts
year, he has almost certainly put himself before that. From there, however, Nadal
out of contention for the year-end number would become virtually unbeatable,
one. So, with the title almost in the bag, winning 43 matches and losing only one