Rafael Nadal finished his career as a two-time Wimbledon champion, having won the title in 2008 and 2010.
Nadal defeated Roger Federer in the 2008 final, besting the Swiss legend over five sets in what many consider one of the greatest matches of all time.
After missing the tournament in 2009 due to a knee injury, the Spaniard returned in 2010 and held the famous trophy aloft on Centre Court again after overcoming Tomas Berdych in the championship match.
It was his penultimate appearance in the Wimbledon final, and the last time he clinched the title at the All England Club.
Following his triumph over the Czech star, Nadal spoke to the media about how the second title compared to the first.
Rafael Nadal’s reaction after winning Wimbledon for a second time
When asked in his post-match press conference if he expected a victorious return to Wimbledon in 2010, Nadal responded: “No. For sure, no. I gonna say another time the same.
“I go day by day, and I wake up every morning with the illusion to practice and to improve, with the illusion to play well another time.
“So, last seven months or six months of the 2009 season, I wasn’t ready to play at this level. I was ready to fight, but not to play like I am doing now.
Nadal was asked: “Is it even more special for you to come back and win it a second time?”
He answered: Every one is really special, no? It is difficult to say this one is more special. The other one was more dramatic, the way to win. So first title is always very, very special.
“And for sure, after not an easy year for me. Be back on my favourite tournament of the world here and play well another time, and not only play well, so finish with the trophy is amazing for me.”
Rafael Nadal’s Wimbledon record after winning the title in 2010
Nadal made the Wimbledon final in each of his appearances from 2006 to 2011, but in the years that followed, the 22-time Grand Slam champion struggled at the championships.
He lost in the second round of the tournament in 2012 to Lukas Rosol, and then crashed out in round one to the then-world number 135 Steve Darcis the next year.
In 2014, Nadal made it to the fourth round before bowing out to a young Nick Kyrgios, and suffered another second-round exit in 2015; this time to Dustin Brown.
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Semi-Final |
| 2019 | Semi-Final |
| 2018 | Semi-Final |
| 2017 | Fourth Round |
| 2015 | Second Round |
| 2014 | Fourth Round |
| 2013 | First Round |
| 2012 | Second Round |
He didn’t feature at the event in 2016, and after losing in the fourth round in 2017, the king of clay finally found some success on grass again, making back-to-back semi-finals in 2018 and 2019.
His last campaign at Wimbledon was a final-four finish in 2022, where he was scheduled to play Kyrgios in the semi-final, but withdrew due to an abdominal injury.
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