Chants of "Vamos, Rafa!" could always be heard in Arthur Ashe Stadium when Rafael Nadal was on court, but after lifting the US Open trophy four times in addition to winning 18 other major titles (14 on the red clay of Roland Garros), Nadal will be hanging up his racquet after the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain.
Unfortunately for US Open fans, Nadal's last appearance at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center was in 2022, weeks after he won Roland Garros. He made a run to the fourth round that year, but injuries prevented him from playing for the Queens crowds in 2023 and 2024.
Nadal left an indelible legacy on the year's final major, from his 67-12 all-time record on the signature blue hard courts and 80% winning percentage in US Open finals, to his signature spread-eagled celebration pose.
To celebrate Nadal and his years of success at Flushing Meadows, check out some of the best photos of the Spaniard through his 16 appearances at the US Open.
Nadal made his Queens debut in 2003, just about a month after he won his first tour-level title in either singles or doubles at Umag alongside Alex Lopez Moron. The 17-year-old Spaniard defeated Fernando Vicente in straight sets in the first round, but Nadal was then dispatched 7-6(6), 6-3, 7-6(6), by world No. 21 Younes El Aynaoui in the Round of 64.
The end result was the same in 2004, when Nadal beat Ivo Heuberger in five sets in the first round, but he drew a tough second-round opponent, No. 2 seed Andy Roddick, who defeated the young Spaniard 6-0, 6-3, 6-4.
Early in the summer of 2005, Nadal lifted his first Grand Slam trophy at Roland Garros, the first of 14 titles on the terre battue. The win helped his ranking shoot up to No. 3, and after a 16-match winning streak earlier in the summer, he improved his best result in Queens to the third round. Nadal bested two Americans, Bobby Reynolds and Scoville Jenkins in straight sets, but underdog James Blake upset the No. 2 seed in the Round of 32.
When the 2006 US Open kicked off, the then-world No. 2 had reached the second week of the three other Slams, but had yet to crack the code in Queens. However, that was about to change as he only dropped one set en route to the quarterfinals, where he was bested by Mikhail Youzhny is four sets.
Nadal's hopes of a repeat quarterfinal showing were dashed at the 2007 US Open by countryman and No. 15 seed David Ferrer, who took out the No. 2 seed in the fourth round, 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2.
Seeded No. 1 in 2008, Nadal charged through straight sets wins in the first three rounds, before four-set challenges from Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish at their home major. In the semifinals, however, No. 6 seed Andy Murray jumped out to an early 2-1 set lead, and while Nadal nabbed the third, it was the Brit who advanced to the final.
2009 brought Nadal a tough draw, as he had to play Richard Gasquet, Nicolas Kiefer, compatriot Nicolas Almagro, Gael Monfils and Fernando Gonzalez to reach the semifinals for the second year in a row, where he lost to eventual champion Juan Martin del Potro in straight sets.
When Nadal dropped to his knees in front of the crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium, he had finally accomplished the career Golden Slam, winning each major and an Olympic gold medal. It took him just over four years to lift the coveted US Open trophy after he won his first Slam at Roland Garros in 2006.
In order to claim the 2010 US Open title, Nadal had to get past four seeds, including compatriots Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco. But the No. 1 seed came out on top, and didn't drop a set until the final against No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic, which the Spaniard won 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.
Once again, the only person who was able to take a set off the world No. 1 in Flushing was Djokovic, when the pair met in the final for the second year in a row. This time, however, the Serb held onto an early lead to claim his first US Open title, 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-1.
Nadal had to withdraw from the 2012 US Open due to tendinitis in his knee, but his result in 2013 was worth the wait. He claimed the titles in Montreal and Cincinnati prior to his championship run at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The No. 2 seed only dropped two sets en route to the title—one each against Philipp Kohlschreiber and Djokovic.
This was the third and final time Nadal and Djokovic would face each other in Arthur Ashe Stadium, a head-to-head led by Nadal.
After battling a wrist injury in 2014 and struggling to find his rhythm on court throughout 2015, Nadal found himself out of the US Open in the first week, losing in the third round to No. 32 seed Fabio Fognini, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.
Nadal was upset once again in 2016, losing in five sets in the fourth round to No. 24 seed Lucas Pouille, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(6). This defeat marked the first year since 2004 that Nadal failed to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal.
But nothing screams Nadal like a comeback (except his bellowing "Vamos!"). He claimed his third US Open title in straight sets by defeating No. 28 seed Kevin Anderson, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, after a four-set semifinal match against 2009 champ del Potro.
"The US Open is an amazing event," Nadal said in his post-match press conference. "The energy that this city and this court brings to me is unbelievable, no? I feel very connected with them, and I enjoy the passion that I feel in that court."
Nadal returned to Queens as the top seed, hoping to defend his title. He defeated No. 27 seed Karen Khachanov in the third round and No. 9 seed Dominic Thiem in the quarterfinals, but he had to retire two sets into his semifinal match against del Potro due to knee pain.
After four hours, 51 minutes, Nadal sank to the ground, splayed out like a starfish on the court as fans jumped out of their seats to celebrate his win in the 2019 US Open final against No. 5 seed Daniil Medvedev, 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4. The Spaniard now owned 19 Grand Slam titles, one fewer than friend and rival Roger Federer, and had done so at 33 years old.
Nadal has had so much experience lifting trophies, he only needed one hand to raise his final US Open trophy aloft in celebration. In total, Nadal has earned 92 ATP titles, including his 22 major wins.
Nadal made his final US Open appearance in 2022, although no one knew when he walked off the court in Arthur Ashe Stadium that it would be the last time we would see him under the lights in New York. He racked up wins against Rinky Hijikata, Fognini and Gasquet to reach the second week of the tournament, but fell to eventual semifinalist Frances Tiafoe in four sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Although he had won Roland Garros earlier in the summer with a foot injury so painful he needed numbing injections just to get through the match, Nadal was his usual, energetic self on court, hyping up the crowd and celebrating with a fist pump, despite showing a few signs of age and injury after nearly two decades on tour.
Nadal, a member of the Big Three and a champion both on an off the court, was a part of an era of tennis dominated by big names, including his own. When asked during a press conference at the 2022 US Open about the impact of his generation of stars, including the Williams sisters, Federer and Djokovic, Nadal shared that they tried to make tennis more popular than it was when they were just starting out on the tours.
"I feel proud and happy to have a small contribution to the world of tennis. I think in a personal way [it has] been amazing to share all these years with such great champions. Be[ing] part of this era is an absolutely honor," he said.
Gracias, Rafa.
