Stat of the Year, No. 1: Rafael Nadal becomes first player in tennis history to win multiple majors in three different decades

So far we’ve covered Ashleigh Barty ending the longest drought for a home champion at a major in the Open Era, Carlos Alcaraz becoming by far the youngest player ever to defeat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the same event, Iga Swiatek going on the longest WTA winning streak in 25 years, and Djokovic becoming the first man ever to win two different majors seven times each.

Today, greatness and longevity combine for our Stat of the Year:

Nadal becomes first player in tennis history to win multiple majors in three different decades (and then makes it even more historic)

When Rafael Nadal won the Australian Open this year, he became the first player ever, male or female, to win two or more Grand Slam titles in three different decades—it was his second of the 2020s, and he had already won six in the 2000s and 13 in the 2010s.

As if that weren’t historic enough, he one-upped his own record by winning Roland Garros, now becoming the first player ever to win three or more majors in three different decades.

Coming into 2022, he was already in rare company as just one of seven players in tennis history to have just won at least one Grand Slam title, period, in three different decades.

PLAYERS TO WIN A MAJOR IN 3 DECADES (all-time):

Blanche Bingley Hillyard [2 in 1880s, 3 in 1890s, 1 in 1900s]
Nancye Wynne Bolton [1 in 1930s, 4 in 1940s, 1 in 1950s]
Ken Rosewall [4 in 1950s, 1 in 1960s, 3 in 1970s]
Martina Navratilova [2 in 1970s, 15 in 1980s, 1 in 1990s]
Serena Williams [1 in 1990s, 10 in 2000s, 12 in 2010s]
Novak Djokovic [1 in 2000s, 15 in 2010s, 5 in 2020s]
Rafael Nadal [6 in 2000s, 13 in 2010s, 3 in 2020s]

PLAYERS TO WIN 2+ MAJORS IN 3 DECADES (all-time):

Rafael Nadal [6 in 2000s, 13 in 2010s, 3 in 2020s]

PLAYERS TO WIN 3+ MAJORS IN 3 DECADES (all-time):

Rafael Nadal [6 in 2000s, 13 in 2010s, 3 in 2020s]