Over two decades after his first ATP match, Rafael Nadal is still ranked in the top-15. It will change soon, though, with a 22-time Major winner skipping every tournament after the Australian Open due to an ongoing hip injury.

Rafa remained competitive until the last year’s Roland Garros, as his body refused to recover and offer him a couple more years on the Tour. Nadal has been aware of that for years, speaking about every success as a gift. Rafa became the year-end no.

1 player for the fifth and last time in 2019, feeling proud and motivated to maintain good results for a few more years, which he did. After a couple of poor years due to injuries and lack of form, the Spaniard returned at his best in 2017.

Nadal conquered Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Roland Garros, US Open and Beijing to earn the year-end no. 1 honor, the first in four years. The Spaniard added a Major and three Masters 1000 trophies to his tally in 2018, spending most of the season at the top before Novak Djokovic passed him in the closing stages.

Rafa could not fight against Novak after wrapping up the year following the semi-final loss to Juan Martin del Potro at the US Open. After a well-deserved rest, Nadal returned more vital in 2019. He chose his schedule wisely and delivered steady results and four big titles to regain the ATP throne from Novak and become the oldest year-end no.

1 player in ATP history!

Rafael Nadal spoke about his career at the end of 2019.

There were some problems with injuries again, but they could not disturb the Spaniard’s rhythm. Rafa failed to reach the semi-final only two times.

He lifted trophies in Rome, Roland Garros, Montreal and the US Open and left the rivals behind him to write history. After winning his fifth Mubadala World Tennis Championship crown in December, Rafa expressed his appreciation for being able to compete at this level so late in his career.

The Spaniard overcame all the obstacles and showed an incredible desire to challenge the main rivals and extend his tennis journey as long as possible. “The motivation is to keep doing something that is not forever. Keep doing something that you have prepared all your life for, and it’s a gift for me to keep enjoying this sport at the highest level at this point in my career.

I want to try to stay in this situation as long as possible, so I’m doing things the right way every day,” Rafael Nadal said.