When was the last time Rafael Nadal missed the French Open? Record at Roland Garros

There are few sporting love affairs like Rafael Nadal and the French Open. The clay court specialist has, funnily enough, proved to be pretty handy in tennis’ biggest clay court event, which he has won almost twice as many times as any other male player in history and more than twice as many as anyone else in the Open Era.

How many times has Rafael Nadal played in the French Open? How many has he won?

The statistics are nothing short of astounding. Since making his debut at Roland Garros in 2005, Nadal has played in each of the 18 editions of the tournaments which have taken place, a run which will sadly come to an end this year as he battles different ongoing injury issues.

In those 18 appearances, he has lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires on no fewer than 14 occasions, which has left Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, the other dominant forces in men’s tennis in the 21st century, with just two and one victory in the tournament respectively.

How many matches has Nadal won and lost at Roland Garros?

All in all, Nadal has played a total of 115 matches in Paris and lost only three of them. After starting his French Open career with four successive titles, he was defeated for the first time in the fourth round in 2009 by Robin Soderling, who went on to lose in the final to Federer. The Spaniard bounced back by winning five years in a row before being beaten in straight sets by Djokovic in the quarter-finals in 2015. The Serb also inflicted Nadal’s most recent defeat in the competition in the semi-finals in 2021.

2016 was the only other year in which the 22-time Grand Slam winner didn’t emerge victorious, as he was forced to withdraw before his third-round match against compatriot Marcel Granollers due to a wrist injury.

Which player has lost most French Open finals to Nadal?

Federer is the man who has suffered the most at the hands of Nadal in the French Open finals, losing on four separate occasions, including three in a row between 2006 and 2008. Although Djokovic is responsible for two of Mallorca native’s three losses in the competition, he has also been on the losing end in three finals (2012, 2014, 2020).

Why didn’t Nadal play in the 2004 French Open?

2023 will be the first year Nadal hasn’t played in Paris since 2004 when he was only 17. Despite his tender years, he had played in the Australian Open a few months earlier, losing to home favorite Lleyton Hewitt in the third round. He only sat out Roland Garros – and most of the clay court season – because of a stress fracture in his left ankle. He went on to win his first ATP Tour singles title a few months later at the Idea Prokom Open in Poland.

In a lengthy press conference on Thursday, Nadal revealed that he wasn’t physically ready to compete in this year’s tournament. He spoke candidly about when – and perhaps even if – he would return to professional tennis. Will we ever see him bite the Coupe des Mousquetaires again?

Rafael Nadal’s French Open record in full