Tournament Feature

Acapulco ace: How Nadal completed surface set at ATP 500

Irrespective of the surface that the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in Acapulco was played on, Rafael Nadal found a way to win.

With four triumphs — two on clay, two on hard — Nadal shares the record for most titles won in Acapulco with Thomas Muster and David Ferrer. Yet the former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings holds an unmatched 92 per cent winning record at the event.

Ahead of the 2025 edition of the hard-court ATP 500, which marks the 20th year since the Spaniard's first Acapulco crown, ATPTour.com reflects on Nadal's Mexican exploits.

2005: Nadal’s Dream Debut
There are not many better ways to establish yourself as a fan favourite than by clinching the title on your event debut — something Nadal had a habit of doing. The Spaniard arrived in Acapulco for the first time in 2005 fresh from triumphing in Costa do Sauipe for his second tour-level crown, but his run at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC was nothing short of emphatic.

Seeded eighth, Nadal completed a dream week on Mexico’s Pacific coast by surging to the title without dropping a set. He saved his best until the championship match, where he steamed past countryman Albert Montanes 6-1, 6-0 in just 52 minutes. It marked the second of an 11-title season for the Spaniard, who went on to claim his first of a record 14 Roland Garros trophies just three months later.

_{^{Rafael Nadal defeats countryman Albert Montanes to win his first title in Acapulco in 2005. Photo: Omar Torres/Getty Images}}

2013: A Rampant Return
After a seven year hiatus, Nadal returned to Acapulco in 2013 as the World No. 5 and with 51 tour-level titles to his name, including 11 Grand Slam triumphs. The Spaniard was, however, returning to ATP Tour action after a knee injury had sidelined him for seven months until three weeks before his appearance in Mexico.

Nadal showed promising signs with a title run in Sao Paulo the week prior, but he found another level in Acapulco. A string of dazzling performances propelled him to his second title without dropping a set, including a statement victory over three-time defending champion and top seed David Ferrer in the final.

“Three hours ago, I never thought I could arrive and play at that level tonight,” Nadal said after his 6-0, 6-2 win over Ferrer. “I’m very happy, very emotional after a long time suffering a lot. To come back and play this level against one of the best players in the world is something completely new for me. The feeling is amazing, I want to cry all the time.”

The 2013 edition of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC proved to be the final on clay before it shift to a hard-court event, but that did not stop the Spaniard from getting his hands on the trophy again.

_{^{Rafael Nadal celebrates his 2013 triumph at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. Photo: Yuri Cortez/Getty}}

2020 & 2022: Nadal Completes Fantastic Four     
After suffering his first two defeats in Acapulco (2017 F, 2019 2R), Nadal returned in 2020 with a point to prove at the hard-court event. The then-World No. 2 scored back-to-back wins over Grigor Dimitrov and Taylor Fritz to seal another stellar run, during which he failed to drop a set en route to the title for a third time.

Fittingly, Nadal’s final title on the ATP Tour came in Acapulco in 2022, when he claimed his fourth crown to level Muster and Ferrer’s joint record. The triumph capped a staggering run of form to start the 2022 campaign, in which a 20-match win streak included titles at an ATP 250 in Melbourne, the Australian Open and in Acapulco.

“It’s always been a special place for me,” Nadal said of Acapulco, where he held a 25-2 record during his career. “The energy that the people from Mexico bring to me is unique, so I can just say thank you. I am very pleased. It’s a very important title for me, so I can’t be happier.”

_{^{Rafael Nadal celebrates his triumph 2022 against Cameron Norrie in Acapulco. Photo: Hector Vivas/Getty Images}}