Rafael Nadal retired with 22 Major titles on his tally! The Spaniard battled on the professional circuit for over two decades, bringing passion and desire to every match and always giving his everything. Alongside countless victories, Rafa also experienced tough losses.
Asked about one match he would love to play again, Nadal picked the 2014 Australian Open final versus Stan Wawrinka! The Spaniard experienced a major blow during the pre-match warm-up, tweaking his back and struggling to serve and move.
Stan scored a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory in two hours and 21 minutes, toppling the legend and lifting his first Major trophy!
“Rules are rules”, except when it comes to Rafael Nadal. Another example, AO Final 2014 – Nadal coolly walks off the court to take a lengthy injury time out. Umpire Carlos Ramos refuses to even ask what the issue is despite repeated queries from Stan Wawrinka. Watch for yourself. pic.twitter.com/GH3ef6lVTf
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Nadal’s regret is obvious! He had a brilliant hard-court run in 2013, which could have easily been extended in Melbourne next year without that injury. In addition, Rafa dominated the H2H against Stan before the final. However, those numbers meant little following his physical setback.
Wawrinka played flawless tennis in the opening two sets, serving well and outplaying Nadal on the return. The Spaniard refused to surrender and claimed the third set to keep himself alive. However, the Swiss broke him two times to emerge at the top and become a Major winner at 28.
Stan delivered his first break of serve at 2-1 in the opener. He held with a serve & volley combo in the fifth game to cement the lead and served for the opener at 5-3. Rafa stepped in and cracked a couple of winners to earn three break points.
Wawrinka kept his composure and denied them before wrapping up the first part of the duel with an ace for 6-3 in 37 minutes. The Swiss landed a return winner in the first game of the second set and clinched a break at love.
The Spaniard asked for a medical help after the third game but kept fighting. Stan held at love in the fourth game, and Rafa barely kept the tears away. The Spaniard suffered another break in the fifth game and denied three set points at 1-5.
However, Wawrinka landed an ace in game eight, moving 6-3, 6-2 in front after an hour and 15 minutes. The 2009 champion grabbed a break in the second game of the third set and held in the next one for a 3-0 advantage.
Rafa held for 5-2 and served for the set two games later. He denied two break points with service winners and seized the second set point with another, reducing the overall deficit after an hour and 48 minutes. Nadal saved two break points in the second game of the fourth set.
Stan made a push on the return in the sixth game and cracked a forehand down the line winner for a break and a 4-2 advantage. The Swiss played a couple of loose shots in game seven, losing serve at love and bringing the Spaniard back to the positive side.
Nadal could not build on that! Wawrinka secured another break in game eight with a forehand down the line winner, forging a 5-3 advantage and serving for the title. Stan held at love in game nine with a forehand down the line winner, celebrating his first Major crown in style.
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