Rafael Nadal was born on 3 June 1986 in Manacor. A Spanish tennis player from Mallorca, Nadal turned professional as a teenager and became one of the greatest players in history, especially on clay. He won a record fourteen French Open singles titles and twenty-two Grand Slam singles titles in all, along with Olympic gold in singles in 2008 and doubles in 2016, and helped Spain win the Davis Cup several times. His rivalry with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic defined men's tennis for almost two decades. Known for his physical intensity and left-handed topspin forehand, he often returned from injury to win major titles. He retired in November 2024.
Before and after
- 14 April 1986Death of Simone de Beauvoir
- 26 April 1986Chernobyl disaster
- May 1986Carbon dioxide passes 350 ppm at Mauna Loa
- 16 May 1986Birth of Megan Fox
- 3 June 1986Birth of Rafael Nadal
- 14 June 1986Death of Jorge Luis Borges
- 22 June 1986Maradona's two goals against England
- 1 July 1986Birth of Agnez Mo
- July 1986The Sanxingdui bronze pits are found
More in Society, economy & sport
- 24 October 1945Founding of United Nations
- 4 April 1949Founding of NATO
- 1960Founding of Somalia
- 1 October 1963Founding of Nigeria
- 1 November 1993Founding of European Union
- 2015Rise of Wikipedia Asian Month
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.