Rafael Nadal Celebrates 31st Birthday
Rafael Nadal Celebrates 31st Birthday
Happy birthday, Rafa!
It’s been 15 years since Rafael Nadal’s first tour-level win, close to half a lifetime ago when his star began to burn bright. But now on his 31st birthday, once an indicator of the twilight of a player’s career, it is nothing more than a number. In the midst of a resurgent rise to the pinnacle of the sport, Nadal is proving that he still has the passion, desire and motivation to perform at the highest level.
The sublime Spaniard is celebrating his 31st birthday in familiar fashion on Saturday after advancing to the fourth round at Roland Garros for the 12th time in 13 years. As the clock struck midnight, Nadal added another impressive achievement to his glittering, legendary resume. The World No. 4 has become just the 12th player aged 31 & over to feature in the Top 5 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, since its inception on 23 August 1973. Moreover, he joins Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka and David Ferrer as the only players to achieve the feat in the past 20 years.
Top 5 At Age 31 & Over
| Player | Career-High | Year Reached Top 5 At 31 & Over |
| Rafael Nadal | No. 1 | 2017 |
| Stan Wawrinka | No. 3 | 2016 |
| David Ferrer | No. 3 | 2013 |
| Roger Federer | No. 1 | 2012 |
| Andre Agassi | No. 1 | 2001 |
| Ivan Lendl | No. 1 | 1991 |
| John McEnroe | No. 1 | 1990 |
| Jimmy Connors | No. 1 | 1983 |
| Arthur Ashe | No. 2 | 1975 |
| John Newcombe | No. 1 | 1975 |
| Ken Rosewall | No. 2 | 1974 |
| Rod Laver | No. 3 | 1973 |
One of the greatest players to ever step on a tennis court, Nadal’s tenacity and unrelenting ambition are rivaled only by his humility and selfless approach to the game, win or lose. One of its most fervent ambassadors and a pillar of the ATP community, he holds himself to the highest standard and aims to promote and grow the sport through the recently opened Rafa Nadal Academy in his hometown of Manacor.
The ability to sustain an elite level of play, with the professional landscape constantly changing, is the biggest test of any professional tennis player’s longevity. Nadal is proving to have all the answers. The leader in the Emirates ATP Race To London entering the month of June, he has stormed through the competition with the help of Carlos Moya, a relatively new addition to his stellar team. Final appearances at the Australian Open and Miami Open presented by Itau were followed by a ruthless run at his clay-court playgrounds of Monte-Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid. With an unwavering passion and commitment to his craft in the face of adversity, the Spaniard is refusing to back down in 2017, streaking to a tour-leading 36 match wins, buoyed by seven Top 10 victories.
Nadal has filled the past 15 years with immeasurable pulsating moments, since first crashing onto the scene as an audacious teenager with boundless energy and charisma. Even despite multiple physical ailments and injuries, he remains the same champion today and continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible on the court. Where many would consider a career with 10 ATP World Tour titles a great achievement, Nadal’s decade of victories in both Monte-Carlo and Barcelona are two of the most astonishing feats in history. His legacy on clay may very well stand the test of time.
