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Dan Hajducky, ESPN
SCP Auctions has brokered the sale of a shirt Rafael Nadal wore in his historic 2010 US Open final victory over Novak Djokovic, the first meeting between the two in a Grand Slam final.
Including buyer’s premium, the shirt — photo-matched by Sports Investors Authentication — sold for $72,000, which is the most ever paid for a match-worn tennis shirt.
“Rafa is beloved by sports fans worldwide for his toughness, resiliency and class, a true champion both on and off the court,” SCP Auctions’ VP of Acquisitions and Sales Brendan Wells told ESPN. “This record price proves that his legacy resonates with collectors [and] demonstrates the importance of a conclusive photo-match and the rise of tennis in the game-used space.”
Wells also noted that the 2010 US Open might’ve been Nadal’s most important career victory: It was Nadal’s ninth Grand Slam title, but his first US Open, meaning it gave him the career Grand Slam at 24 years, 3 months and 10 days, making him the youngest man to do so. (Serena Williams was 21 in 2003 when she completed her career Slam and Steffi Graf was 19 in 1988 when she completed hers. Graf also won Olympic gold in 1988, completing a Golden Slam, the first ever. On Sunday, Djokovic joined that club with Graf, Andre Agassi, Nadal and Williams.)
Nadal hadn’t dropped a US Open set until the final, beating Djokovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. The shirt was purchased by high-end collector Rob Gough, who made waves in the collectibles space when he purchased a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card, graded a 9 by grader PSA, for $5.2 million in January 2021. Gough and other prestige collectors say the game-used memorabilia space isn’t properly valued and is poised to skyrocket.
“Acquiring this shirt worn by Rafael Nadal during his 2010 US Open victory is like holding a piece of sports history,” Gough told ESPN. “It’s a moment marking Nadal’s dominance at the peak of his career, as he became the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam and the first to achieve the surface Slam [titles on clay, crass and hard courts in a single season].”
Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam titles are the second-most for any man, behind Djokovic’s 24. On the women’s side, only Margaret Court (24) and Williams (23) have more. Graf also has 22.
“Such iconic memorabilia from historic achievements encapsulates the essence of greatness and is a testament to the player’s enduring legacy,” Gough said. “The prices of these game-used items are undervalued, but as time passes and the appreciation for sports history deepens, the value of such artifacts will soar.”
It could be sooner rather than later for Nadal items: A photo-matched shirt then-19-year-old Nadal wore in the 2005 French Open quarterfinals, semifinals and final, his first Grand Slam and first of a record 14 French Open titles, is currently up for auction with Prestige Memorabilia. It’s currently hovering at just over $40,000.