3 milestones awaiting Rafael Nadal at the 2020 Australian Open

Rafael Nadal has been a standout performer during his near two-decade professional career. Forming one-third of men's tennis' famed Big-3 trifecta of Roger Federer, himself and Novak Djokovic, Nadal's tally of 19 Grand Slam titles is only one behind Federer's all-time tally of 20.

One of only three players with a cumulative positive head-to-head record (50-44) against Federer and Djokovic - the others being Filippo Volandri (2-1) and Dominic Thiem (9-8) - Nadal has won 10 of his Grand Slam titles at the expense of his Big-3 peers Federer (6) and Djokovic (4).

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The all-time title leader (35) and match win leader (384) in Masters 1000 tournaments, Nadal possesses the best win-loss record (83.2%) of any player to have played over 200 matches. The Spaniard (767 weeks as on 30th December 2019) has been ranked in the top-10 of the ATP rankings for more weeks than any player other than Federer (897) and Jimmy Connors (816).

With 271 match wins in Grand Slams, Nadal trails only Federer (357) and Djokovic (280). At the first Grand Slam of the year, Nadal's 61 match wins are only behind those of Federer (97) and Djokovic (68).

However, the Australian Open hasn't been a happy ground for the Spaniard. Except for a lone title in 2009, the Spaniard has fallen in 4 finals at the tournament, most recently to Djokovic in 2019 - which also marked the first time Nadal suffered a straight set defeat in a Major final.

On that note, let us look at three milestones Nadal would accomplish if he were to lift his second title at the Australian Open in 2020.

#1 Go level with Federer's all-time Grand Slam title tally of 20

Nadal won his 19th Grand Slam at the 2019 US Open

Nadal lifted his fourth title at the US Open in 2019 after beating an inspired Daniil Medvedev in a five-set final. In the process, the Spaniard lifted his 19th Grand Slam title to pull to within 1 of Federer's all-time tally of 20 titles.

This is the closest Nadal has been to Federer's Grand Slam title haul since the Swiss maestro made his Grand Slam breakthrough at 2003 Wimbledon.

If the southpaw does win his second title at the Australian Open in 2020, he will go level atop the all-time Grand Slam title leaderboard. That would mark the first time in the Open Era two active players would share the all-time Grand Slam title lead.

Pete Sampras (14) had long retired when Federer won his 14th Grand Slam title at the 2009 French Open.

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#2 Win back-to-back hardcourt Grand Slam titles for the first time in his career

Rafael Nadal

Nadal's tally of 19 Grand Slam titles comprise 5 titles on hardcourt: 4 at the US Open (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019) and 1 at the Australian Open (2009).

The Spaniard has made consecutive hardcourt Grand Slam finals on 4 occasions: 2011 US Open (won) - 2012 Australian Open (lost), 2013 US Open (won) - 2014 Australian Open (lost), 2017 Australian Open (lost) - 2017 US Open (won), and 2019 Australian Open (lost) - 2019 US Open (won).

However, the legendary southpaw is yet to triumph in consecutive hardcourt Slam finals. Nadal's win at the 2020 Australian Open would mark the first time in his career he would have won consecutive hardcourt Grand Slam titles.

In fact, Nadal has won hardcourt titles in consecutive tournaments only on 4 occasions during his career - 2005 (Beijing - Madrid), 2013 (Coupe Rogers - Cincinnati - US Open), 2017 (US Open - Beijing) and 2019 (Coupe Rogers - US Open).

#3 Become the 1st player in the Open Era to win the double career Grand Slam

Rafael Nadal

If Nadal triumphs at the 2020 Australian Open, it would make him the first player in the Open Era to win multiple titles at each of the 4 Grand Slam tournaments on the tennis calendar.

Only 5 players - Rod Laver, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Nadal himself and Novak Djokovic have won the career Grand Slam, the feat of winning all 4 Grand Slam tournaments during the course of one's career. If the amateur era (pre-1968) is included, Don Budge, Fred Perry, and Roy Emerson have also accomplished the career Grand Slam.

Emerson and Laver have achieved the double career Grand Slam but Emerson did so both times before tennis turned professional, and the first time Laver did so was in the pre-Open Era. Hence, Nadal's 2020 Australian Open triumph would create an unprecedented record in the Open Era.

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