Beijing Olympics 2008: Rafael Nadal's path to glory

Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on during the Men’s Singles final match against Roger Federer of Switzerland during day thirteen of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 8, 2007 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

A visibly heart-broken and depressed Nadal looked completely inconsolable that day. You cannot blame him for that. Can you? After all, it was the second time in as many years the man from Spain went down to the great Swiss master in the Wimbledon final.

Just a year before in 2006, which was his first Grand Slam final on grass, he was totally outplayed by Roger Federer, who owned all the cards from start to finish. But the scenario was entirely different during the 2007 final. Standing toe to toe with the then defending champion, he played exceedingly well and looked to be in command as he took the fourth set. Just when it all looked like he was going to put an end to the four year long reign of the Swiss, he had to take a medical time out as he encountered some problem in his knees.

Apparently, the Spaniard was not in full shape and the experienced Swiss, taking advantage of the situation, managed to win the epic clash eventually. Though he had been a dominant champion in Roland Garros, he was yet to prove his mettle elsewhere. Under the circumstances, it was essential for him to show to the whole world that he was not just a clay court player. But, as fate would have it, his knee problem came uninvited at the wrong time, ending his hopes of capturing his first Grand Slam outside clay.

The very next year, when the Spanish armada entered the Bird’s Nest in Beijing, walking alongside Fernando Gonzalez, the result of the match was a foregone conclusion. In fact it was that sort of a year for the then World No.2 that he was labelled as a favourite in every tournament he entered, not just the Olympics. After quite an indifferent start to the year in Chennai and Melbourne, he bounced back with victories at Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Hamburg.

What followed then was some amazing display of tennis, full of conviction by Rafa from the start of the grass court season. In the championship match at Wimbledon that was duly interrupted by rain and bad light, he overcame the Swiss star in five sets, thereby winning his first Grand Slam outside clay.

So much so, he stayed undefeated for 32 matches, until the streak came to an end against Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals at Cincinnati. Given his accomplishments till then, he started as the overwhelming favourite going into Beijing Olympics, hosted on hard courts.

Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates winning the gold medal against Fernando Gonzalez of Chile during the men’s singles gold medal tennis match held at the Olympic Green Tennis Center during Day 9 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 17, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Things went exactly the same way as anticipated in his half, whereas arch rival Roger Federer had to face an early exit at the hands of the American James Blake. Rafa was almost certain to win an Olympic gold medal for his country, if only he reached the final.

Potito Starace was his first round opponent and the left handed Spaniard was expected to get past him comfortably. However, to everyone’s surprise, Starace was able to put up a brave fight and took the match to the decider. He had his chances to break the serves of the Spanish adversary but the latter, who was the more determined of the two, prevailed eventually.

That start was shaky enough for anyone to doubt if he would go on to win the gold medal. Normally, if one goes back and refers history, it would be very much clear that top ranked players did not do generally well in the Summer Olympics. So the chances were that Rafa, who was all set to become World No.1 at the conclusion of the mega event, could also falter in the end just like many of the past players. But, a person who used to fight for every point as though his life was at stake would never consider any match as inconsequential, and that is how Rafa has been.

His determination to win the Olympic gold medal was very much evident in the very next round, where he played against Lleyton Hewitt, the former World No.1 from Australia. He made it a totally one sided affair as he pummelled the Aussie 6-1 6-2, leaving no chance for his opponent. Continuing with the form in which he was in, he crushed Jürgen Melzer in the quarter-final.

It was then that he had to face his toughest challenge of the tournament. Serbian Novak Djokovic, who beat him in Cincinnati, was his adversary again in the semi-final. The match stood up to the expectations of the tennis loving public as it went the distance.

Nadal won the first set 6-4, but the current World No.1 pulled the game back by pocketing the second set 6-1. Both were playing so well that it looked difficult for anyone to pick one to win the contest. However, Rafael Nadal, who was mentally stronger than his opponent, went on to win the final set at 6-3. The then World No.2 thus crawled his way into the final, not before surviving a thriller of a match.

Chilean Fernando Gonzalez had beaten Rafael Nadal before on hard courts, but in the gold medal match, he was up against a person who was more confident and better equipped. The first set ended in no time with the Spaniard winning it 6-3. The next set was rather competitive, with the scores tied at 6-6. In the tie-breaker, Gonzalez had more than a couple of chances to tie the match at one set apiece but due to some bad volleying and unforced errors, he eventually ended up losing that set.

Generally, if Rafael Nadal wins the first two sets, it is impossible for anyone to pull off the next three. Djokovic, who was one of the semi-finalists in this year’s French open, can brief it better. The then 22-year old “King of Clay” produced some spectacular tennis, which had Gonzalez running from one corner to the other for the major part of the set. In fact, that was how the match ended, when the Chilean failed to return a thunderous forehand after stretching too far on the deuce court.

As always, having secured another big tournament win, Rafa covered his face in disbelief and laid flat on the ground for a quick few seconds. The gold medal was his and he had won it at the age of 22. It was his year on the whole, where he could no wrong. The French Open on clay, the Wimbledon on grass and the Olympic gold medal on hard court – what more one can ask for?

He did it all, and in doing so, dethroned Roger Federer from the top of the rankings, which had been held by the latter for 4.5 years. The two Grand Slams back to back, plus the Olympic gold medal, had really changed the perception of tennis fans about Rafael Nadal, who was earlier branded as just a clay court player. That was one memorable year for the great champ.