20 years of Nadal’s historic comeback in Madrid | ATP Tour

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20 years of Nadal’s historic comeback in Madrid

The Spanish conquered its only title on a hard roof track in 2005

April 21, 2025

Before Mutua Madrid Open moved to the Magic Box, as part of the European Spring Tour on whipped land, it was one of the calendar reference tournaments in the final stretch of the season on a hard roof track. Probably, the most hostile surface for local players, although it was not enough argument for Juan Carlos Ferrero and Rafael Nadal to triumph in the first years of the tournament in the capital of Spain.

One of the most unforgettable editions of this ATP Masters 1000 goes back twenty years. Specifically, until 2005, an event that will be recorded forever in the memory of all tennis fans and, also, in Nadal’s career. The Balearic then achieved the only title on a hard roof track that lives in its showcase among the 92 with which it finally withdrew the last year.

The epic does not come from the circumstance that time demonstrated that this would be his only prize in the hardest conditions for him. If that title, of the five that he won in Madrid, it was even more special, it is because he did it in a memorable final, tracing two sets against. And, as if that were not enough, with a knee tendonitis that had questioned his participation.

^{_{Rafael Nadal won the Mutua Madrid Open 2005. Photography: Phil Cole/Getty Images.}}

In fact, the devices that looked on their legs prevented them from being a theme of recurrent conversation in the press room. “I have finished with a little knee pain,” admitted the Spanish after his semifinal match against Robby Ginepri, whom he had broken 7-5, 7-6 (1). “Although I am not worried. There is only one party and I endure, sure.”

So, he couldn’t imagine what was still waiting for him. Nadal had overcome Victor Hanescu by 7-6 (5), 6-3. In the second round he got rid of his compatriot Tommy Robredo 6-2, 6-4 and in the quarterfinals to Radek Stepanek 7-6 (9), 6-4. In total, it accumulated 6 hours and 31 minutes on the way to the last round. “The doctor has told me that [la rodilla] It is more loaded than other days, ”he revealed before the final.

On the other side of the network, on October 23, 2005, Ivan Ljubicic was waiting for him, the Croatian cannon that appeared in the duel against Nadal with an average of 17.25 ACES per game. That day, then No. 12 of the PIF ATP Rankings registered 32 direct serves in the three hours and 53 minutes that the final lasted.

His great performance with the service helped him dominate 6-3, 6-2, 1-1, 0/30. But the more than 10,000 souls present in the stands witnessed an afternoon of glory, a demonstration of what was Nadal’s identity hall in its more than 20 seasons as a professional. Recover what seemed impossible.

Nadal was rescuing the lost distance. Point to point. Set to set. The manacorí was the sensation of the circuit for its self -confidence, to face each game as a battle in which he was not going to be the first to surrender, because of his generous physical waste.

He saved the third set 6-3. In the room he managed to match, leaving him from his side 6-4. And the fifth was a battle to all or nothing that was decided in a dramatic Tie-Break, which was finally awarded the manacorí 7-3.

It was the eleventh title of the most laureate season of his career, after conquering Costa Do Sauipe, Acapulco, Montecarlo, Rome, Roland Garros, Bastad, Stuttgart, Canada, Beijing and Madrid. It was only the letter of presentation of one of the great legends of this sport.