Rafael Nadal dethrones Roger Federer and becomes world number 1
Rafael Nadal celebrates a great achievement on this day, becoming the 24th ATP World No.1 for the first time 15 years ago! The 22-year-old Spaniard ended Roger Federer’s reign on August 18, 2008, besting his great rival after pursuing him for more than three years..
In 2005, 19-year-old Rafael Nadal became the most decorated teenager since Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander and Boris Becker. In addition, the Spaniard established himself as the second strongest link in the Tour behind Federer.
Nadal followed Federer with 11 ATP titles that year, including Roland Garros and four Masters 1000 crowns. The Spaniard earned enough points to finish the season well ahead of Andy Roddick and others, beginning the ultimate quest for World No. 1. Nadal worked hard to improve his game on hard courts and grass over the next two seasons, closing the gap on the Swiss, who stood above everyone else between 2004 and 2007.
After four brilliant years that brought him impressive records, Roger slowed down in 2008 and ended up stepping down on August 18. The Spaniard had to wait until the clay court season to clinch his first title that year, having previously lost in the Chennai and Miami finals and in the semifinals of the Australian Open and Indian Wells.
Nadal, World No.1 for the first time on August 18, 2008
As usual, no one could stop Rafa in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Hamburg and Roland Garros.
In Paris he got his fourth consecutive title and increased the pressure on Roger. Nadal’s game on grass had already been remarkably good after two Wimbledon finals in the previous years.
However, in 2008 he went a step further on the faster surface. Nadal knocked out Novak Djokovic at Queen’s and Roger Federer in that memorable Wimbledon final to lift two trophies and move to no.
1 in the world. No one could stop Rafa that summer, as he conquered Toronto for his 29th consecutive victory. Nadal became world No. 1 when Federer suffered an upset loss to Ivo Karlovic in the third round.
On August 11, Roger still led Nadal by 25 points. However, the Spaniard would become the 24th world number 1 in history the following Monday. Meanwhile, Nadal clinched the individual Olympic gold medal in Beijing, beating Fernando González to celebrate two outstanding achievements in two days.
Rafa reached the semifinal of the US Open and, despite participating in only two more tournaments at the end of the season, finished as No. 1 of the year for the first time. Nadal ended Roger’s reign that began in 2004, remaining on the throne. of the ATP until July 2009.
Rafa is among the few players with more than 200 weeks as world number 1, spending his last time on the throne in early 2020 and not being able to return there last year at age 36 due to injuries. This year Rafael Nadal He was only able to compete in the Australian Open after the severe hip injury that will keep him out of competition until next year. The champion of 22 Grand Slams works physically before returning to work on the court.
2023-08-19 05:00:39
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