Rafael Nadal: 12 titles, 12 looks

The 2019 Roland Garros tournament saw Rafael Nadal sail to victory at the Porte d'Auteuil for the twelfth time, giving us the excuse to look back at this exceptional champion’s on-court style.

Here we list this incredible athlete’s 12 titles from a fashion point of view.

1 – A strong debut

Which year? Roland Garros 2005

Which final? Against Mariano Puerta (6-7 6-3 6-1 7-5)

Which outfit?

A sleeveless Lycra top with some white capri pants that were a tad on the long side. This outfit, which would not look out of place on the basketball court, certainly caused a stir in tennis fashion!

2 – Capris, please!

Which year? Roland Garros 2006

Which final? Against Roger Federer (1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6)

Which outfit?

Nadal wore a blue sleeveless top with contrasting blocks of black and white for Roland Garros 2006, matched with his omnipresent white capri pants!

3 – A firm favourite

Which year? Roland Garros 2007

Which final? Against Roger Federer (6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4)

Which outfit?

At Roland Garros in 2007, Rafa could not pass up the opportunity to don capri pants yet again! Shunning white this time, he opted for black pants coupled with his signature two-coloured sleeveless top.

4 – Going green

Which year? Roland Garros 2008

Which final? Against Roger Federer (6-1 6-3 6-0)

Which outfit?

On the clay courts at the Parisian Grand Slam in 2008, Rafael Nadal went back to his roots and chose a green sleeveless top for the second time. This time, he went for a brighter and more eye-catching hue.

The capri pant and sleeveless top had become his signature look, and it was ideal for showing off his muscular arms!

5 – Trying a new style

Which year? Roland Garros 2010

Which final? Against Robin Söderling (6-4 6-2 6-4)

Which outfit?

Rafa went for a completely new look for Roland Garros 2010! A new hair-cut and slightly shorter Bermuda-style shorts were the first signs of his style overhaul.

Gone were the sleeveless tops, making way for a more classic t-shirt, though the eye-catching colours remained. As for accessories, he wore his headband narrower and matched it with the rest of his outfit.

6 – Taking notes from Federer

Which year? Roland Garros 2011

Which final? Against Roger Federer (7-5 7-6 5-7 6-1)

Which outfit?

Though he retained his love of two-coloured outfits for Roland Garros 2011, Nadal’s look was beginning to resemble that of his fiercest rival: Roger Federer!

As well as playing Federer in this final, Nadal took a leaf out of his opponent’s book in the style stakes, choosing an understated, well put-together look. Welcome to a new era in Rafael Nadal’s style! 

7 – A style revelation

Which year? Roland Garros 2012

Which final? Against Novak Djokovic (6-4 6-3 2-6 7-5)

Which outfit?

After two days and four hours of play, Rafa lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires for the seventh time, dressed in a red t-shirt and trainers, white shorts and black accessories. A well-coordinated and stylish look: he didn’t put a foot wrong!

8 – Red, white and blue

Which year? Roland Garros 2013

Which final? Against David Ferrer (6-3 6-2 6-3)

Which outfit?

A nod to the country that hosts his favourite tournament, perhaps? Who knows! At Roland Garros 2013, Nadal wore a red, white and blue colour-block outfit to step out onto the Parisian clay.

9 - The "Nadal touch"

Which year? Roland Garros 2014

Which final? Against Novak Djokovic (3-6 7-5 6-2 6-4)

Which outfit?

Eye-catching yet tasteful would be the best way to describe Nadal’s look on the courts of the Porte d'Auteuil in 2014.

This year, his habitual two-coloured outfit featured a turquoise blue t-shirt paired with grey shorts and accessories.

10 – A look fit for the “Décima”

Which year? Roland Garros 2017

Which final? Against Stan Wawrinka (6-2 6-3 6-1)

Which outfit?

For this new, all-important victory at Roland Garros (his tenth!), the King of Clay donned a outfit fit for royalty! He’d finally made it in the style stakes!

To enter tennis legend, Nadal opted for a two-coloured outfit, the Spanish champion’s signature look, topped off with some fluorescent touches and matching accessories.

11 – All blue

Which year? Roland Garros 2018

Which final? Against Dominic Thiem (6-4 6-3 6-2)

Which outfit?

T-shirt, shorts, headband, wrist bands, trainers and tracksuit top: this cerulean blue ensemble took Rafa to his eleventh Roland Garros title with style and panache. 

12 – Bright yellow

Which year? Roland Garros 2019

Which final? Against Dominic Thiem (6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1)

Which outfit?

The bright yellow t-shirt matched his bandeau and the stripes on the sides of his shorts, and his zip-fastened trainers featured a patchwork of the patterns he had worn on the way to his first 11 titles at Roland Garros.

This brightly-coloured look would have fitted in perfectly in the 1980s and, even today, it’s a clear hit!