A look back at the surprise defeats of the 36-year-old Spaniard in Grand Slams since his first triumph at Roland-Garros in 2005.

2005

Crowned with his first success at Porte d'Auteuil at 19, Nadal stumbled a few weeks later in the second round at Wimbledon in four sets against Luxembourger Gilles Müller.

Faced with this very good server on a fast surface, the Majorcan's game was still that of a pure clay court specialist.

In 2017, he lost again against the same opponent in five sets at Wimbledon in the round of 16.

Rafael Nadal during his defeat against the Luxembourger Gilles Muller at the Wimbledon tournament, June 22, 2005 © ODD ANDERSEN / AFP/Archives

- 2012

After two triumphs at the All England Club in 2008 and 2010, Nadal began to struggle on the London turf.

He has not reached the Wimbledon final since 2011. This loss of bearings earned him the following year a surprising defeat in five sets in the second round against the Czech Lukas Rosol, 100th in the world.

2013

The following year, Nadal did even worse at Wimbledon when he lost for the first time in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament against Belgian Steve Darcis, 135th in the world.

The Spaniard, however, remained on a run of nine consecutive finals following his return to competition in February after a long-term injury to his left knee.

Rafael Nadal lost in the first round of the Wimbledon tournament against Belgian Steve Darcis on June 24, 203 in London © BEN STANSALL / AFP/Archives

2015

Nadal's Wimbledon woes continued in 2015 with a fourth straight elimination heading into the quarter-finals.

This time, it was the German Dustin Brown, from the qualifications, who knocked him out in the second round in four sets, after having already beaten him dryly on grass in Halle in 2014. Two months later, the Spaniard bowed to the US Open in the third round against the Italian Fabio Fognini, and therefore ended the season without winning a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 2005.

2016

In full doubt about the rest of his career, victim of several successive injuries, Nadal saw a new disillusion by leaving the Australian Open 2016 in the first round with a defeat in five sets against his compatriot Fernando Verdasco.

Forfeited at Roland-Garros then absent at Wimbledon, he was then eliminated in five rounds by Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the round of 16 at the US Open.

It is the first time that he has not reached at least the quarters in one of the four Grand Slam tournaments for 11 years.

Rafael Nadal lost to Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the round of 16 at the US Open on September 4, 2016 in New York City © Alex Goodlett / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/Archives

2023

Now a father, Nadal has experienced difficulties since his withdrawal last season due to injury from Wimbledon in the semi-finals then his elimination against the American Frances Tiafoe in four sets at the US Open (in the eighth), and he approaches the 'Australian Open 2023 without landmarks.

The 36-year-old player, injured in the hip, was defeated in the second round in three sets against the American Mackenzie Mcdonald, 65th at ATP.

© 2023 AFP