Rafael Nadal's love-hate relationship with Australian Open and his career Down Under
Updated . First published
Nadal's love-hate relationship with Australia
Rafael Nadal - who will retire at the end of 2024 - won the Australian Open just twice and lost more finals in Melbourne than at any other grand slam.
Around a glorious 2009 final victory over Roger Federer and a stunning 2022 comeback win over Daniil Medvedev, there have been four defeats in deciders and a string of other near-misses.
His career at Melbourne Park is now over, after the champion Spaniard announced his retirement.
Here, we look back at Nadal's entire Australian Open career, the highs and lows.
2004
Rafael Nadal hits a forehand against Michael Tabara in his first-ever Australian Open match in 2004. Nadal beat Tabara and Thierry Ascione before falling to Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in the third round. Hewitt was already a dual grand slam winner, while Nadal was only 17.
2004
Rafael Nadal congratulates Lleyton Hewitt after their 2004 Australian Open third round match. Hewitt beat Nadal in straight sets, though the Spanish youngster took the first two to tiebreakers.
2005
Rafael Nadal in action during the 2005 Australian Open. Nadal lost in the fourth round to eventual finalist Lleyton Hewitt, in a ripping five-setter, 7-5 3-6 1-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-2.
2006
Rafael Nadal congratulates Lleyton Hewitt on winning their 2005 Australian Open match. Hewitt was 3-0 against Nadal at that point, though the Spaniard edged the Aussie 7-4 by the time Hewitt retired. Nadal went on the win his maiden Grand Slam title at the next major of that year, the French Open, but then missed the 2006 Australian Open with a foot injury.
2007
Rafael Nadal plays a backhand during his quarter-final against Fernando Gonzalez at the 2007 Australian Open. Nadal lost to eventual runner-up Gonzalez in straight sets, fatigued from an earlier gruelling five-setter against Andy Murray.
2008
Rafael Nadal plays a forehand during his semi-final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the 2008 Australian Open. He was smashed in straight sets, his first career loss to the Frenchman, who was dazzling at that Open before losing the final to Novak Djokovic.
2009
Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer 7-5 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-2 in the 2009 Australian Open men's final, winning his first title at the grand slam. The great rivals shared a touching moment post-match, with Nadal consoling a weeping Federer.
2009
Rafael Nadal poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after winning the final of the 2009 Australian Open against Roger Federer, in a five-set classic. It gave Nadal a 5-2 advantage over Federer in grand slam finals at that point; a ledger that now reads 6-3. The final lasted four hours and 23 minutes and was a Herculean effort by Nadal especially, given that he'd played and won a five-hour, 14-minute semi-final against Fernando Verdasco; which was then the longest match in Australian Open history.
