Welcome to Take Five, a weekly series at USOpen.org recapping five of the biggest stories of the last week on the professional tennis circuit. After winning January’s Australian Open and May’s French Open, Spain’s 22-time major winner Rafael Nadal prepares to take on Wimbledon for the first time in three years. Meanwhile, other top players competed across a number of grass-court tournaments to prepare for The Championships.
Rafael Nadal goes for third major title of year at Wimbledon
Despite persistent foot pain caused by Mueller-Weiss Syndrome, Spain’s 36-year-old Rafael Nadal has won big in 2022: Following victories at the hard-court Australian Open and clay-court French Open, the world No. 4 now aims for his third major of the year — and 23rd career Grand Slam title — at Wimbledon. Nadal hasn’t played on Centre Court since 2019, when he lost to Switzerland’s Roger Federer in a four-set semifinal.
“I experienced some improvements, different feelings on my foot, honestly … I take that like a positive thing,” Nadal said at a press conference in Mallorca. “My intention is to play Wimbledon, to travel to London next Monday.”
Nadal kicked off 2022 with a 20-match winning streak. Though he’s secured the year’s two biggest titles so far, Nadal has also struggled on court since sustaining a stress fracture at March’s BNP Paribas Open. After losing that tournament’s final to American Taylor Fritz, he withdrew from the Miami Open, Monte-Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. Nadal then lost in the Madrid quarterfinals and Rome’s third round.
“Pain takes away your happiness, not only in tennis but in life,” he said after the defeat in Italy. “My problem is that many days I live with too much pain.”
Hubert Hurkacz downs Daniil Medvedev in Halle
With his 64-minute, straight-sets sweep of world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev at the 2022 Terra Wortmann Open finals, Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz emphasized he could very well win Wimbledon.
When a 39-year-old Roger Federer fell in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last year, many wondered about the tennis star’s future – but paid less attention to 24-year-old match winner Hurkacz, whose victory secured secured his first major semifinal. Months later, Hurkacz cracked the ATP Top Ten.
Preparing for his return to The Championships this week at the Halle Open, Hurkacz booted big names like Canada’s world No. 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime and Australia’s world No. 45 Nick Kyrgios. Regardless of his record, the Pole seemed destined to cede the final to Medvedev – the first man outside the “Big Four” to lead the rankings in 18 years. Instead, Hurkacz belted blistering serves from the start and barely gave his opponent a moment to breathe during a relentless 6-1, 6-4 victory.
“I’ve been waiting a little bit for my first [title] this year,” Hurkacz said in a post-match, on-court interview. “On the grass, it is very special.”
Ons Jabeur reaches new heights with Berlin win
A month and a half after claiming the biggest title of her career at the Mutua Madrid Open, Tunisia’s top-seeded Ons Jabeur won a third WTA singles tournament at the bett1open in Berlin – just not the way she had hoped.
Late in the final’s first set, Jabeur’s opponent Belinda Bencic tumbled while returning a hard-hit ball. Ankle pain forced the eighth-seeded Swiss to retire just a few games later at 6-3, 2-1.
“This is not the way we want to finish the match, but you’re such a fighter,” Jabeur told Bencic after the match. “It’s always tough to play [you] in three sets. Thank you for being such a nice friend, and such a nice athlete. And good luck, hope you feel well. I’m sure you’re gonna be ready for Wimbledon.”
On Monday, Jabeur reached a career-high world No. 3 in the rankings. She now teams up with Serena Williams for doubles at the 2022 Eastbourne International.
Matteo Berrettini continues comeback at Queen’s Club
Though he missed the clay-court season due to emergency hand surgery, Italy’s world No. 11 Matteo Berrettini is making up for missed time on grass. The 26-year-old won his second title in two weeks at the cinch Championships (Queen’s Club), defeating Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic 7-5, 6-4 to defend his 2021 tournament title.
“To have this trophy twice, I used to just dream of playing in this tournament,” Berrentini said. “I know that Wimbledon is different, But I know that I can do it. I did it once. I’m really looking forward to it, but I know every match will be tough.”
Berrettini lost the 2021 Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. He’s reaffirmed his dominance on the surface this year, beating Andy Murray in the BOSS Open final last Sunday.
Beatriz Haddad Maia victorious again on Birmingham grass
Berrettini isn’t the only player to earn back-to-back titles this month. Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia won the Rothesay Classic Birmingham a week after winning both the singles and doubles tournaments at the Rothesay Open Nottingham. Haddad Maia scored her latest trophy after her Nottingham doubles partner, China’s Zhang Shuai, retired at 5-4 in the final’s first set.
Rain delayed each player’s semifinal from Saturday into Sunday morning, with the final taking place that evening. It isn’t just the second title Haddad Maia has earned this month, but the second of her overall WTA career; she has now won 10 consecutive matches.
On Monday, she moved up to a career-high world No. 29 in singles and No. 26 in doubles.
