My three favorite tennis players have always been Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal. I’ve followed the rivalry between Federer and Nadal since I was a kid and enjoyed every one of their massive victories in the Opens. Nadal has been a pillar in the tennis community since he emerged a star at 15 years old when he defeated Ramón Delgado in his first ATP victory. He made his Wimbledon debut in 2003 as the youngest man to enter the third round since 1984. Similarly, Nadal reached the third round of the Australian Open in 2004 before losing to Lleyton Hewitt. Nadal met Federer for the first time in 2004 at the Miami Masters where he defeated the Swiss player. Nadal earned his first Grand Slam title in 2005, winning the French Open on his first attempt. He continued to sweep the French Open over the next two years before adding a Wimbledon victory over Federer in 2008 to his record. He brought home the 2009 Australian Open title and 2010 French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open trophies to earn a No. 1 world ranking. Nadal continued his world domination with a French Open victory in 2011 and won the French Open in 2012. 2013 saw Nadal’s excellence in the French and US Open, while he triumphed in the 2014 French Open. Today, Rafa accomplished a record-breaking feat by earning his 10th French Open title and 15th Grand Slam victory. Trailing only Federer in Grand Slam titles, Nadal etched his name in history books as one of the greatest to ever play the game.
