3 milestones awaiting Rafael Nadal at the 2020 Australian Open

Modified Jan 03, 2020 07:42 GMT

Nadal won his lone title at the Australian Open in 2009

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

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).

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Edited by Musab Abid