Five different players have triumphed the last five times Rafael Nadal wasn't in a Grand Slam draw
The 14-time Roland Garros champion will miss the Paris major for the first time since winning on his debut in 2005.
THE BREAK: Rafa Out Of RG
Tennis fans won’t see 14-time champion Rafael Nadal compete at Roland Garros for the first time since 2004 after the 36-year-old announced his withdrawal during a press conference in Mallorca on Thursday. The upcoming Paris major will mark the 12th time the left-hander has been absent from a Grand Slam event since he debuted on the major stage as a 17-year-old at 2003 Wimbledon.
A rundown of the last five times Nadal was missing in action from a Grand Slam draw—and the five competitors who emerged victorious:
2021 US Open—Winner: Daniil Medvedev
Rafa played just one North American hard-court event that summer, a debut appearance at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. A recurring left foot injury forced him to end his year prematurely, but as it stood, 2021 was a season defined by Novak Djokovic and his historic bid to clinch a calendar-year Grand Slam in New York. The Serbian came within one victory of achieving the feat, ultimately falling short in the championship match to first-time major winner Medvedev. The Russian notably finished runner-up two years prior to Nadal in a five-set thriller when contesting his inaugural Grand Slam final.
2021 Wimbledon—Winner: Novak Djokovic
Having been outclassed by Djokovic in the Roland Garros semifinals, Nadal pulled the plug on competing at both the All England Club and Tokyo Olympics a couple weeks later. The reason: “after listening to my body and discuss it with my team I understand that it is the right decision.” The grass-court major had been dominated by the Serbian in recent years and that trend continued when Djokovic raised his third successive trophy (he would make it four in 2022) to further his 2021 dominance. Matteo Berrettini posted his best Slam run in a losing final effort.
2020 US Open—Winner: Dominic Thiem
A year after celebrating his fourth triumph at Flushing Meadows, Nadal stayed home. The left-hander joined WTA world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty in withdrawing from the hard-court major with concerns about traveling during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Behind closed doors, the draw opened up even further when Djokovic was defaulted for accidentally hitting a lineswoman in the round of 16. Thiem, who had been 0-3 in major finals with the first two at the hands of Nadal, rallied from two sets down to topple Alexander Zverev in a nerve-wracking tilt. Note: Nadal would win the September-staged French Open.
2016 Wimbledon—Winner: Andy Murray
At Roland Garros, Nadal withdrew during a Grand Slam event for the first time when a left wrist injury proved insurmountable. The issue didn’t subside in time for The Championships, marking his first absence in seven years at SW19. An emotionally-drained Djokovic was tripped up in the third round by Sam Querrey following the completion of a career Grand Slam in Paris. Murray, who had lost out to Nole in both the Australian Open and French Open finals, celebrated his second triumph at his home Slam, defeating Milos Raonic for the trophy.
2014 US Open—Winner: Marin Cilic
Not all was lost for Nadal in 2014, as he won his ninth French Open in 10 years. But a right wrist problem resulted in the missed opportunity to defend his US Open crown. When it came down to the semifinals, another classic between Djokovic and Roger Federer looked to be on the horizon. It never materialized, as Kei Nishikori and Cilic completed a stunning duo of upsets to set an unlikely final. The Croatian rose to the occasion to handily defeat Nishikori, becoming the season’s fourth different major winner on the ATP Tour.
