(Paris) Rafael Nadal, king of clay, has won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles at Roland-Garros, but he has fought epic battles on all surfaces. Here is a selection.

Roland-Garros 2005: semi-final won against Federer

On the way to the first Major. Federer was aiming for a fifth Grand Slam title, the first in Paris. But that day, the young Spaniard who had won three titles on clay in the previous weeks made a name for himself. Nadal beat the Swiss 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the semi-finals, and advanced to his first major final. Two days later the Majorcan won the first of his 22 Grand Slam titles.

Wimbledon 2007: final lost against Federer

Turning. Federer wins 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2 for his 5^e consecutive title at Wimbledon, but following this match, we think that Nadal is much closer to beating Federer in his London garden than the Swiss to beating the Spaniard on clay in Paris.

Roland-Garros 2008: final won against Federer

Spanking. It is the severity of the score that makes this match incredible: Nadal played almost to perfection to humiliate the world No.1 6-1, 6-3, 6-0.

Wimbledon 2008: final won against Federer

Victory at dusk. The rivalry between the two men is already well established and the Spaniard almost brought down the Swiss in his kingdom the previous year. This time, after 4:48 a.m. of a game interrupted several times by rain and as night fell, Nadal won the match point at 9:16 p.m. with the score of 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 , 6-7, 9-7, ending Federer’s five-title run at Wimbledon. This meeting is the most famous in the history of tennis with the Borg-McEnroe of 1980, at the same place.

Australian Open 2009: final won against Federer

Tireless. Nadal wins his first title in Melbourne by beating Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2 and almost 4:30 of tennis of a very high level. In the semis, he had already fought 5:14 to dismiss Fernando Verdasco. Defeated, Federer could not hold back his tears during the trophy ceremony.

2010 United States Open: final won against Djokovic

The Missing Major. In 2010, the US Open was the last tournament missing from Nadal’s list. Despite the confidence built up from his win over Roger Federer in the semi-finals, Djokovic couldn’t stop the Spaniard. Nadal won 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.

Australian Open 2012: lost final against Djokovic

The longest. Novak Djokovic won 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5 in 5:53 hours, making it the longest Grand Slam tournament final to date. The Serb concluded on Monday at 1:37 a.m. a match that had started on Sunday evening.

2019 US Open: final won against Medvedev

Never defeated. After two rounds quietly won, Nadal was surprised by the return of a young Russian still unknown and with a strange game. Pushed to the fifth round, the Spaniard proves that he never gives up and wins in 4:51 in an epic fight 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4.

Roland-Garros 2020: final won against Djokovic

Lesson. The clay-court edition of the Major is played in the fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic which prevented it from being held in the spring. Wet, windy and cold conditions are all obstacles in the way of a 13^e Parisian title for Nadal. And we say to ourselves that Djokovic has his chance to beat the king of the earth in the final of “his” tournament. In fact, the Spaniard corrects the Serb 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 and equals the record of 20 Grand Slam titles held since 2018 by Roger Federer.

Roland-Garros 2021: semi-final lost against Djokovic

The payback. Djokovic played the match of his life on clay and won 3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2 at the end of a match of rarely equaled quality and tension. Nadal will later confess to suffering from foot pain and will only play two games of the season, forfeiting Wimbledon and the United States Open.

Australian Open 2022: final won against Medvedev

Overwhelming. Led two sets to nothing against the Russian Daniil Medvedev, the Majorcan manages to win 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 after 5:24 of play to afford a 21^e historic Grand Slam title. However, he had contracted COVID-19 in December and missed six months of competition in 2021 due to his painful left foot.

Roland-Garros 2022: quarter-final won against Djokovic

Relentless despite doubts. Nadal arrives at Roland-Garros in great lack of preparation because of his pain in his left foot (he remains on an elimination in 8^are final in Rome, one of his only two tournaments played on land with that of Madrid, where the pain had become unbearable). Opposite, Djokovic is in ascending form, very close to his absolute best level, and intends to equal the record for Grand Slam titles. But against all odds, it was Nadal who won 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) and opened the way to a 14^e title on Parisian clay and a 22^e Major.