Nov 6, 2024 - Nov 23, 2024
Last month, an emotional Rafael Nadal held a press conference announcing his plan to retire at the end of the 2024 season. The 38-year-old Spaniard has struggled with injuries over the past few years, and for two decades he has fought through the incurable Mueller-Weiss syndrome in his foot. It truly is the end of an era. Who will ever match Rafa’s athleticism, perseverance, intensity, and desire to compete on the tennis court? We know one thing. No player will come close to equaling his 14 French Open titles and dominance on clay. His 22 Grand Slams overall are second only to Novak Djokovic on the men’s all-time list.
Last auction, we sold Rafa’s 2010 U.S. Open Final match worn shirt for a then-record $72,000. This lot features the shirt he wore in his third-round match against Gilles Simon of France. It has been conclusively photo-matched by Sports Investors Authentication. Nadal’s straight set victory (6-4, 6-4, 6-2) on September 5th propelled him into the fourth round against fellow Spaniard Feliciano López. It wasn’t until the Final against #3 seed Novak Djokovic that top-seeded Rafa even needed to play a fourth set at Flushing Meadows. In an epic final, Nadal defeated his longtime nemesis (6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2) to complete the coveted Career Grand Slam and win his ninth major overall. It was Rafa’s third consecutive major title in a dominant 2010 season during which he held the world #1 ranking all year and finished with a 72-10 record.
The neon green Nike player-exclusive shirt has a black Swoosh logo on the left chest. Many tennis polos and athletic shirts are nondescript and, thus, nearly impossible to photo-match. Fortunately, this style has a unique mesh pattern on the shoulders that allowed Sports Investors Authentication to make a conclusive match. It was procured by our consignor from a member of Nadal’s inner circle shortly after the tournament. No size is listed on the internal tagging. Under the wash instructions is a “FA101204G88 CUSTM” coded manufacturer’s flag tag from Nike. The shirt exhibits solid wear with stretching, sweat staining, and minor smudging of the black Nike logo on the fabric. For Nadal, the 2010 U.S. Open was perhaps his most significant major championship. It cemented his legacy at just 24 years old as an all-time great. To this day, only eight men have ever won all four majors. Includes full authentication paperwork from Sports Investors.
Payment for your invoice must clear in full prior to shipping. All items will be shipped from SCP Auctions’ Laguna Niguel, CA office in the order that payments are received. Please allow up to three business days following clearance of payment for items to ship. All items will be shipped UPS/FedEx Ground unless you contact us to discuss an alternative shipping method. If you would like your items shipped in a different method, such as UPS/FedEx Next Day or UPSFedEx 2-Day, you must contact our Post Sale Services Manager Veronica Rodriguez by emailing customerservice@scpauctions.com to discuss alternative shipping instructions. Prior to bidding, please be aware of estimated shipping costs, especially for large or heavy lots. You may contact SCP Auctions for any shipping estimates lots you are bidding on or interested in bidding on. If you intend to pick up your items in person at the SCP Auctions office, please call us to schedule. Payment must clear prior to items being available for pick-up.