Rafael Nadal only ever lost four matches at the French Open…
Making his debut at the event in 2005, Nadal won the Roland Garros title and continued to dominate on the Parisian clay for several years.
The Spaniard won the French Open in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008, and reached the fourth round in 2009, riding a 31-match unbeaten streak at the event.
It was there that his run came to an end, however, as he was stunned in four sets by Sweden’s Robin Soderling.
Later that year, American tennis legend Pete Sampras gave his verdict on what was one of the most shocking upsets in the history of the sport.
Pete Sampras thought that if anyone was going to beat Rafael Nadal it would have been Roger Federer
During a 2009 interview with Gamespot, Sampras was asked about Nadal’s shock defeat to Soderling.
“Yeah, it was surprising that he lost first of all,” he said.
“But I think who he lost to: I’ve never really seen [Robin] Soderling play. If anyone would’ve beaten him at all, it might be either someone like a [Juan Martin] del Potro or Roger [Federer].
“But that’s a big upset.”
Sampras did, however, understand that upsets happen, as he remembered his unexpected defeat to Richard Krajicek at Wimbledon in 1996.
“It happens, you know. You can’t keep that up forever,” he said.
“[Nadal] won it four times in a row and had a bad day.
“I’ve been in those shoes when I was going for my fourth Wimbledon. I lost to [Richard] Krajicek [in 1996] and no one saw it coming.
“It just happened, and upsets are part of sports. And it just goes to show there’s no guarantee… when you’re on that surface.”
Upsets are indeed a part of sports, but for the most part, Nadal managed to avoid them at the French Open.
After losing to Soderling in 2009, he suffered just three more defeats in Paris before retiring in 2024.
Who else did Rafael Nadal lose to at the French Open?
From 2010 to 2014, Nadal enjoyed another dominant spell at Roland Garros, winning five consecutive titles.
That run came to an end in 2015, however, when he met Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals.
Having beaten Djokovic in their previous six encounters at the French Open, Nadal may have expected more of the same in 2015, but the Serb had other ideas.
Djokovic beat Nadal in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3, 6-1, handing the Spaniard just his second career defeat at the tournament.
Bouncing back just as he did after his defeat to Soderling, Nadal didn’t lose another match at the French Open for the remainder of the 2010s.
His next defeat came at the hands of Djokovic in 2021, losing in a four-set semifinal match full of quality.
Nadal’s fourth and final defeat at the French Open came against Alexander Zverev in 2024.
Expectations weren’t high for Nadal, as injuries continued to get the better of him, and he lost to Zverev in straight sets in the first round.
Nadal retired later that year with a 112-4 record at the French Open, winning 14 titles.
Most tennis fans agree that his records in the French capital may well stand the test of time…
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