Rafael Nadal in danger of leaving Top 10 for the first time since 2005

| by Sebastian Dahlman

Rafael Nadal still fights on the tennis courts but injuries are preventing him from showing his best.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion had many injuries throughout his career, but thanks to his dominant results at tournaments that he entered, he always stayed very high in the ATP Rankings. In fact, he never left it since entering it back in 2005.

On the 18th of April 2005, then 18-year-old Rafael Nadal was world no. 11. The next week, he moved to the seventh spot, after winning the title in Barcelona. Since then, the now 36-year-old Spaniard never left the Top 10.

"This was Novak's home court, now we go to Rafa's" - Ivanisevic on 'GOAT Race'
"This was Novak's home court, now we go to Rafa's" - Ivanisevic on 'GOAT Race'

He was 10th for a few weeks in 2015, but despite being close to it, he never left the Top 10 and he's been part of it for more than 900 weeks already. But his streak may come to an end in 2023, as the Spaniard struggles with an injury, that will keep him out of play until March.

Because of that, most probably, he won't able to compete at the 2023 Qatar Open in Doha and he will drop also his points from last year's triumph in Acapulco.

His participation at the ATP 1000 event in Indian Wells is also in doubt, and that is a huge problem for Nadal. In the newest edition of the ATP Rankings, he's ranked sixth.

However, within the next four weeks, he's set to drop his points from his triumph in Acapulco, unless he recovers faster than expected. That would mean that Nadal would have only 3315 points, and he will drop at least to the seventh position, as now eighth Taylor Fritz will have at least 3320 points.

Felix Auger-Aliassime will have 3130 points, if he doesn't make any contribution, and Holger Rune should have 3026 next to his name. However, both of these players are expected to compete at events, where they are very likely to collect 200 or 300 points to surpass the Spaniard.

Participation in Indian Wells will be crucial for Nadal, who is defending 600 points there, and that would most likely mean that he would leave the Top 10 for the first time since 2005.

Nadal provides injury update, return likely in March
Nadal provides injury update, return likely in March

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