Rafael Nadal has won everything there is to win for tennis pros. Most of it multiple times. But with the end of the year for the best tennis professionals, the Spanish tennis hero is not really warming up. There will be another disappointment in 2022.
For tennis pro Rafael Nadal, the prestigious annual accounts are a great disappointment. The 22-time Grand Slam tournament winner from Spain also lost his second group game at the ATP Finals in Turin and has no chance of progressing.
After another poor performance, Nadal lost to Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in two sets 3: 6, 4: 6 and is last in the "Green Group". His last hope for the semi-finals was destroyed by the three-set victory of the Dane Casper Ruud against Taylor Fritz from the USA (6:3, 4:6, 7:6). Ruud thus advanced early into the semi-finals.
The ATP Finals are obviously not a good place for Nadal, one of the most successful tennis professionals in history: The Spaniard, Grand Slam record champion and 92-time tournament winner on the ATP tour, has never triumphed at the season finale. Twice - in 2010 and 2012 - he reached the final of the tournament, which was worth around 14 million euros this year, but lost to the big competitors of his era: in 2010 against Roger Feder, two years later against Novak Djokovic.
"I don't think I've forgotten how to play tennis and how to be mentally strong," said the 36-year-old afterwards. At the moment, however, he lacks self-confidence. He himself does not know exactly whether he will reach his absolute top level again, "but I have no doubt that I would die for it".
In his opening game against tournament newcomer Taylor Fritz from the USA, Nadal had to admit defeat in two sets. The superstar has lost four games in a row - that last happened to him in 2009. For Auger-Aliassime, Nadal is still "a champion". "He's still here at 36, fighting guys in their early 20s. He's full of energy, moves well and hits hard," the 22-year-old gushed about his idol.
