NEW YORK, NY, USA - Rafael Nadal winning his 16th Grand Slam title at the US Open on Sunday is incredible on its own, but if you think about how long he’s been winning majors - he’s been doing it for more than 12 years now - it’s even more incredible. That’s a lifetime for some of his younger fans.
So we at Tennis Channel thought we’d do something different to celebrate this one. Just to illustrate how long ago he was already winning majors, here are all the songs that were No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 when he won each of his 16 majors (do you remember hearing these hits at the time?)
2005 French Open
- Nadal beat Mariano Puerta for the title, 6-7(6) 6-3 6-1 7-5
- No.1 song on June 5, 2005: We Belong Together by Mariah Carey
2006 French Open
- Nadal beat Roger Federer for the title, 1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6(4)
- No.1 song on June 11, 2006: Ridin’ by Chamillionaire
2007 French Open
- Nadal beat Roger Federer for the title, 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
- No.1 song on June 10, 2007: Umbrella by Rihanna
2008 French Open
- Nadal beat Roger Federer for the title, 6-1 6-3 6-0
- No.1 song on June 8, 2008: Lollipop by Lil Wayne
2008 Wimbledon
- Nadal beat Roger Federer for the title, 6-4 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(8) 9-7
- No.1 song on July 6, 2008: I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry
2009 Australian Open
- Nadal beat Roger Federer for the title, 7-5 3-6 7-6(3) 3-6 6-2
- No.1 song on February 1, 2009: Just Dance by Lady Gaga
2010 French Open
- Nadal beat Robin Soderling for the title, 6-4 6-2 6-4
- No.1 song on June 6, 2010: OMG by Usher
2010 Wimbledon
- Nadal beat Tomas Berdych for the title, 6-3 7-5 6-4
- No.1 song on July 4, 2010: California Gurls by Katy Perry
2010 US Open
- Nadal beat Novak Djokovic for the title, 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-2
- No.1 song on September 13, 2010: Love The Way You Lie by Eminem & Rihanna
2011 French Open
- Nadal beat Roger Federer for the title, 7-5 7-6(3) 5-7 6-1
- No.1 song on June 5, 2011: Rolling In The Deep by Adele
2012 French Open
- Nadal beat Novak Djokovic for the title, 6-4 6-3 2-6 7-5
- No.1 song on June 11, 2012: Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye
2013 French Open
- Nadal beat David Ferrer for the title, 6-3 6-2 6-3
- No.1 song on June 9, 2013: Can’t Hold Us by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
2013 US Open
- Nadal beat Novak Djokovic for the title, 6-2 3-6 6-4 6-1
- No.1 song on September 9, 2013: Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke
2014 French Open
- Nadal beat Novak Djokovic for the title, 3-6 7-5 6-2 6-4
- No.1 song on June 8, 2014: Fancy by Iggy Azalea
2017 French Open
- Nadal beat Stan Wawrinka for the title, 6-2 6-3 6-1
- No.1 song on June 11, 2017: Despacito by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee
2017 US Open
- Nadal beat Kevin Anderson for the title, 6-3 6-3 6-4
- No.1 song on September 10, 2017: Despacito by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee… still.
