One of the most remarkable runs in tennis has come to an end on Monday after Rafael Nadal dropped down the ATP Pepperstone rankings to 13th position.
The 22-time Grand Slam hasn’t played a match on the Tour since his second round loss to Mackenzie Mcdonald at the Australian Open in January due to a leg injury. Nadal’s absence meant that he was unable to defend his points won at last year’s Indian Wells Masters where he finished runner-up to Taylor Fritz.
As a result, the Spaniard’s historic 912-week streak inside the world’s top 10 has come to an end. Nadal first broke into the top 10 on April 25th 2005 and had remained inside that group every week until now. To put his longevity into perspective, out of the top 20 players who were active at the time Nadal first broke the top 10, he is the only one still playing.
“I prefer to be in the top 10, it’s obvious,” Nadal told reporters during a Movistar event earlier this year. “But in the end, one has to accept things as they come. With all the injuries I’ve had over the last 18 years, not having left the top 10 on any occasion is practically a miracle.’
“A time has come when a lot has happened in the last year: a broken rib, two abdominal tears, now the psoas, foot problems… there are many things that, in tennis, with a ranking that lasts a year… you know that if you don’t play, you’ll be out of the top 10.”
Nadal is aiming to return to competition on his beloved clay but it is unclear if he will be ready in time to participate in next month’s Monte Carlo Masters. He has won a record 63 titles on the surface, including 14 French Open trophies.
“The important thing for me is to try to be healthy,” he said. “When I compete on clay, I (want to) feel like I can compete for what I want and fight for the ultimate goal, which right now has to be Roland Garros.”
The 36-year-old has played four matches so far in 2023 with his only win being over Jack Draper in the first round of the Australian Open. Besides Mcdonald, he has also suffered losses to Alex de Minaur and Cameron Norrie at the United Cup.
