Nadal fans: what's your favourite moment?

[Amritia]

With the news of Nadal's imminent return to number 1, I ranked my favourite Nadal moments.
I ask Nadal fans, and fans of other players who admire him, what are yours?

1.

This was the moment Nadal pointed out to the umpire Djokovic fell onto the net, a crucial point to break back while down in the 5th set of the French Open 2013 SF. In early 2013 I remember thinking Nadal's career was done due to his knee, he took 6 months out in 2012 and lost in his comeback tournament to Zeballos. This win sealed his return to the top. My most emotional match memory.

2.

(Timed Link)

US Open 2013, 3rd set, 4-4. Nadal falls down, 0-30. Amazing return Nole, 0-40. Huge forehand, 15-40. Tough rally, 30-40. ACE. 1st ace of match. 40-40. Holds, somehow. Then in the next game breaks, despite ND being 30-0 up. These 2 games, that passage of play to win the set: epic.

3.

There was a new man at the helm of men's tennis. Now, 11 years on from the greatest match of all time, that new man has become, alongside Federer, the greatest we've ever seen.

 

[Lleytonstation]

I know, not a Rafa "fan" but I like him so.... Got to be USO19 for me. Once Med Bear came back, and then had break points to get back on serve... as a Fed fan who went through the four and zero and 1 and 5 thing... well, it was pretty "epic" as @MichaelNadal would say. Even though I should have been rooting against him (I was hoping he would win), but in the end I was fist pumping.

After all these years, anytime the big3 win something, I am more emotional about it... knowing there may not be many left.

 

[Third Serve]

Darkness in the stadium, camera lights flashing, Nadal standing on the grass lawn holding up the golden trophy in his sleeveless shirt and pirate pants. I think many a Nadal fan knows what I’m referring to.

 

[Amritia]

I know, not a Rafa "fan" but I like him so.... Got to be USO19 for me. Once Med Bear came back, and then had break points to get back on serve... as a Fed fan who went through the four and zero and 1 and 5 thing... well, it was pretty "epic" as @MichaelNadal would say. Even though I should have been rooting against him (I was hoping he would win), but in the end I was fist pumping.

After all these years, anytime the big3 win something, I am more emotional about it... knowing there may not be many left.

That was incredible. That's in my top 10 moments for sure, only reason it didn't get into top 3 was the earlier context of the match, Nadal was 2 sets and a break up, and should have won it in straights. It shows incredibly mental strength to be in that position, f*ck it up, but then still come out on top. Immense from Rafa, but my feelings at the time was frustration that the match wasn't over, before huge relief when he won it.

 

[King No1e]

Bamos

 

[Backspin1183]

Darkness in the stadium, camera lights flashing, Nadal standing on the grass lawn holding up the golden trophy in his sleeveless shirt and pirate pants. I think many a Nadal fan knows what I’m referring to.

2015 Stuttgart!

 

[Lleytonstation]

That was incredible. That's in my top 10 moments for sure, only reason it didn't get into top 3 was the earlier context of the match, Nadal was 2 sets and a break up, and should have won it in straights. It shows incredibly mental strength to be in that position, f*ck it up, but then still come out on top. Immense from Rafa, but my feelings at the time was frustration that the match wasn't over, before huge relief when he won it.

Makes the wins better in my opinion, as you are invested more emotionally. One of the reasons AO17 is dear to my heart.

 

[Fridge]

Seeing Rafa cry as they show his grand slam titles video at this USO was pretty cool. Always nice to see the greats cry like that. Shows how much they love it

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

1.
This was the moment Nadal pointed out to the umpire Djokovic fell onto the net, a crucial point to break back while down in the 5th set of the French Open 2013 SF. In early 2013 I remember thinking Nadal's career was done due to his knee, he took 6 months out in 2012 and lost in his comeback tournament to Zeballos. This win sealed his return to the top. My most emotional match memory.

2.

(Timed Link)

US Open 2013, 3rd set, 4-4. Nadal falls down, 0-30. Amazing return Nole, 0-40. Huge forehand, 15-40. Tough rally, 30-40. ACE. 1st ace of match. 40-40. Holds, somehow. Then in the next game breaks, despite ND being 30-0 up. These 2 games, that passage of play to win the set: epic.

3.
There was a new man at the helm of men's tennis. Now, 11 years on from the greatest match of all time, that new man has become, alongside Federer, the greatest we've ever seen.

At least you're engaging in positive bias for your fave rather than negative for his opponents, that's palatable.

AO 09 final, Madrid 09 semi and RG 13 semi were his three toughest match wins, I reckon, so throwing them in the vortex of this thread.

 

[Third Serve]

2015 Stuttgart!

Bingo!

 

[Third Serve]

As a Baghdatis and Nadal fan, I believe their Stuttgart 2015 2nd round match was the greatest match of all time.

 

[The Blond Blur]

Nadal fans: what's your favourite moment?
Yes.

 

[tacou]

So hard to pick. 2008 Wimbledon will probably always be my overall favorite, but a lot of the later ones, even the "run of the mill" French Open wins, have just been so special. This USO is pretty high up there honestly.

 

[steelcity32]

Fighting his butt off to try and beat Djokovic in last year's indoor Wimbledon semi. Never been so tense watching a match in my life, and his incredible ball-bashing in the worst possible conditions for him, for 5 straight sets, gave me the most adrenaline I've ever had watching him, even if he didn't get the win in the end.

 

[Azure]

Wimbledon 2008 is the most special. Against the reigning number one, in his backyard and already at that time one of the greatest the sport had seen....in the backdrop of the heartbreaking loss in 2007, nothing topped the feeling of the first Wimbledon. The drama, the fading lights...it felt as if the match was slipping away as the match progressed into the fifth set. Were we in for a disappointment again? The sheer will power of the man saw him through - one of the most memorable moments not just for a Rafa fan but for a sports fan.

 

[Slightly Biased Nadal Fan]

My first tournament as a diehard was USO 2010 so that tournament will always have a lot of sentimental value for me. It also was so much more memorable with the career grand slam on the line. In the chase for that coveted USO that had eluded him to that point (who would’ve thought he’d be winning it for the 4th time 9 yrs later) he seemed like a man on a mission all tournament and his game was so on point with the serve and pretty much every facet of his game firing on all cylinders (with imo his sickest outfit). Moments like Wimbledon 08 and AO 09 have more significance in the bigger picture of his career but all I can do is look back and appreciate them which, to me, doesn’t compare to being immersed in the moment.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Nadal fans: what's your favourite moment?
Yes.

Basically lol. Epicness overload. Might as well ask me my fav Eminem song

 

[The Blond Blur]

Basically lol. Epicness overload. Might as well ask me my fav Eminem song

Miami 2004-present has been one wild ride I know I'm not getting off any time soon

 

[vernonbc]

So many matches were special, some in the slams, some in the masters. His 10th French Open was very emotional - such a milestone for him and for Toni. His FO win in 2012 doesn't get much notice but it's not widely known how bad his knee was and that he played that match with it anesthetized. Remember how he scrambled up into his team box and as he was hugging everyone, Toni sat down and sobbed. None of them thought he could win that one.

 

[Start da Game]

Darkness in the stadium, camera lights flashing, Nadal standing on the grass lawn holding up the golden trophy in his sleeveless shirt and pirate pants. I think many a Nadal fan knows what I’m referring to.

this......tennis would never have been the same after had rafa not been victorious that day......

 

[MichaelNadal]

this......tennis would never have been the same after had rafa not been victorious that day......

Nadal has many of the best moments in the modern era

 

[Deleted member 763691]

I'm not sure about "favorite" but the most memorable thing was that 2009 Australian Open trophy ceremony, very unique scenes
I can't say what my favorite victory is, too many to choose from and they're hard to separate in levels....
Many people say 2008 Wimbledon Final, but that is not one of my favorites, because it was more relief than celebration......as Rafa was up 2 sets and almost lost.....plus I felt like Rafa already outplayed Federer in 2007 Wimbledon too.....so 2008 was more about unfinished business than some big breakthrough.
I enjoyed several of Rafa's other grand slam victories more.

 

[ChrisRF]

this......tennis would never have been the same after had rafa not been victorious that day......

Do you think Nadal wouldn’t have won anything big outside clay for a long time to come then and Federer would have easily dominated until the arrival of 2011 Djokovic?

 

[ForehandRF]

@ChrisRF I believe that Federer would have won the AO in 2009, but still fail against Delpo at the USO.Don't think Fed would have done better in 2010 cause his level already dropped after the AO and had nothing to do with Djokovic or Nadal until the USO.

 

[clayqueen]

#1 - USO 2010

 

[clayqueen]

#2 - AO 2009

 

[octobrina10]

The 19th:

 

[ChrisRF]

@ChrisRF I believe that Federer would have won the AO in 2009, but still fail against Delpo at the USO.

Even with the CYGS on the line? Or maybe BECAUSE of that?

Difficult to say, because with that much at stake he surely wouldn’t be that stubborn to try beating Del Potro in forehand exchanges, but on the other hand the general pressure could have been too high and we know that Federer will crumble under pressure if he doesn’t win such a match easily.

 

[clayqueen]

Roland Garros 2008

 

[clayqueen]

Wimbledon 2008

 

[dr325i]

Banana

 

[clayqueen]

Olympic Singles Gold 2008

 

[clayqueen]

Olympics Doubles Gold - 2016

 

[clayqueen]

Even with the CYGS on the line? Or maybe BECAUSE of that?

Difficult to say, because with that much at stake he surely wouldn’t be that stubborn to try beating Del Potro in forehand exchanges, but on the other hand the general pressure could have been too high and we know that Federer will crumble under pressure if he doesn’t win such a match easily.

Wrong thread!

 

[tennis_pro]

Realizing who his USO SF opponent was going to be.

 

[ChrisRF]

Wrong thread!

Please look at the posting history. It was about Nadal’s Wimbledon win in 2008 (which is perfectly on topic) and then the question arose if tennis would have been different if Nadal had lost that match (or in other words if Federer would have dominated longer than).

 

[weakera]

Has to be 2008. Dethroning the Wimbledon GOAT in his prime in his house. It was a perfect moment.

 

[clayqueen]

Please look at the posting history. It was about Nadal’s Wimbledon win in 2008 (which is perfectly on topic) and then the question arose if tennis would have been different if Nadal had lost that match (or in other words if Federer would have dominated longer than).

'IFs' is like crying over spilt milk.

 

[octobrina10]

Please look at the posting history. It was about Nadal’s Wimbledon win in 2008 (which is perfectly on topic) and then the question arose if tennis would have been different if Nadal had lost that match (or in other words if Federer would have dominated longer than).

Fed devotee, the question is: "Nadal fans: what's your favourite moment?"

 

[Amritia]

This thread is open to Nadal fans, and also fans of other players who admire Nadal as I said in the OP.
No room for Nadal hatahs

Would be also interesting to know what fans of rival players have as their favourite positive moment for Nadal. For example, my favourite Federer win was his FO 2011 SF, for purely selfish reasons!

 

[Fedforever]

have as their favourite positive moment for Nadal

I don't know if this counts but would definitely be the moment he gave Fed a hug after AO 09.

Because if you watch it everyone else on the podium has this kind of frozen "this is so embarrassing - let's pretend it's not happening" thing going on. And Nadal must have been thinking "what the f*ck do I do here?" And he just seemed to go "sod it, someone's upset, you give them a hug". It seemed such a lovely, human reaction.

I guess with famous people you never really know what they're truly like but in that moment you just see the basic thing of whether someone's fundamentally nice or not.

 

[Amritia]

I don't know if this counts but would definitely be the moment he gave Fed a hug after AO 09.

Because if you watch it everyone else on the podium has this kind of frozen "this is so embarrassing - let's pretend it's not happening" thing going on. And Nadal must have been thinking "what the f*ck do I do here?" And he just seemed to go "sod it, someone's upset, you give them a hug". It seemed such a lovely, human reaction.

I guess with famous people you never really know what they're truly like but in that moment you just see the basic thing of whether someone's fundamentally nice or not.

Agree!
Some weirdos criticised Federer for that, but as a Nadal fan it made me connect with Federer a lot more too, showed his emotional and human side, tennis can really bring us beautiful moments.

 

[aman92]

1. Aus Open 2009
2. Wimbledon 2008
3. French Open 2013

 

[Start da Game]

Do you think Nadal wouldn’t have won anything big outside clay for a long time to come then and Federer would have easily dominated until the arrival of 2011 Djokovic?

Nadal has many of the best moments in the modern era

i say that because i did not just follow that final, i lived through that final......i just don’t think he could afford a loss that day, he knew it and he played like a true champ to get over the line that day......let’s leave it there and not speculate what might have happened otherwise because you never really know......

 

[DSH]

The best moment of Rafael Nadal is yet to come!

 

[StrongRule]

The best moment of Rafael Nadal is yet to come!

And what will it be?

 

[clayqueen]

I love this picture.

 

[ibbi]

4-4, 0-40

 

[Deleted member 763691]

If Rafa wins the 2020 AO, that will give him the Double Career Grand Slam and #20, so unless his final opponent is Bernard Tomic or something, it'll probably be the biggest occasion of his career

 

[MichaelNadal]

4-4, 0-40