Nadal Inching Closer To Federer’s Leading ‘Big Title’ Count

Rafa is gaining on Roger.

After his 11^th Roland Garros title, Rafael Nadal now stands only four “Big Titles” away from catching Roger Federer in the chase for “Big Titles” – a combination of Grand Slam, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and Nitto ATP Finals crowns. Nadal won his 17^th Grand Slam crown and 49^th Big Title on Sunday when he beat Dominic Thiem for the seventh time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series (7-3).

The Spaniard also cushioned his Big Title advantage against former No. 1 Novak Djokovic. Nadal now has 49 Big Titles to the Serbian’s 47. More than two years ago, after the 2016 Mutua Madrid Open, Djokovic had 45 and Nadal 42.

Current and Former Champions’ Big Titles Won (Records Since 1990) 

* Becker’s four other Grand Slam titles came before 1990.
** Edberg’s three other Grand Slam titles came before 1990.

But Nadal and Djokovic remain even in their Big Title conversion rates. The Spaniard has won 49 Big Titles from 171 opportunities, a conversion rate of 3.5. Djokovic has won 47 Big Titles from 165 chances, also yielding a conversion rate of 3.5. The 36-year-old Federer, though, has won a Big Title every 4.1 chances (53/216).

Nadal’s historic Roland Garros crown – no man or woman in the Open Era has won 11 titles at the same Grand Slam tournament – completed another mesmerising European clay-court swing for the Spaniard. He won 26 of his 27 matches, including four titles: his 11^th Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell; his 11^th Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, his 31^st Masters 1000 title; and his eighth Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Nadal’s 32^nd Masters 1000 triumph.

Nadal and Federer have now won the past six Grand Slams, tying their second longest streak of Grand Slam titles won exclusively by the two legends.

Longest streaks of Grand Slam titles won by Federer and Nadal