Spanish star, Rafael Nadal is close to hitting another benchmark like he’s been used to. The Spaniard who remains one of the finest players to have graced the game has set record after record since he picked up a racket.
Yet, he doesn’t seem tired of being a serial winner. It should come as no surprise to see Nadal close to breaking another record with the tennis star pushing the limits of the game season after season.
This record though nothing close to his biggest achievements only do so much to show how consistent he has been over the years. He has now become only the second player after tennis great and American legend, Jimmy Connors to spend the most consecutive weeks in the ATP Top 10.
Having maintained a spot in that elite list for a total of 778 weeks, Nadal is only nine weeks shy of the record set by the American. Interestingly, he is 44 weeks ahead of his fiercest rival and third-placed Roger Federer.
Putting things in perspective, Nadal has never for once slipped out of the ATP Top 10 since he first snuck his way into it. He was close to falling out of that list in 2016 though, ranking world number 9 that year. The Spaniard has been exceedingly consistent and a constant threat to his peers. He has also been a big favorite for most titles up for grabs every season. With form on his side, it is difficult to see how he does not get past Jimmy Connors on this list.
Perhaps, Nadal could have been looking to break that record in a few months time. However, with the suspension of the ATP tour, that would have to wait. The ranking has been frozen just like several sporting activities across the world due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Even though he retains a place in the top 10, the weeks during the suspension will not be counted. It remains to see when the ATP resumes as the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t look like it is coming to a close anytime soon. Should the pandemic be controlled early enough, the ATP could begin on June 7th.
Written by: Roland Arum
