The great Pete Sampras once said that anytime you can win a Major in Year, you've had a successful year.

Coming from a 14-time Major winner, the logic seems pretty sound. If we grade Rafael Nadal's year by this rubric, then 2009 must ultimately be deemed a success. However, in light of the numbers Roger Federer has put together in the past few years, and Nadal's own amazing 2008 campaign, 2009 must be seen as a year that didn't quite live up to the hype.

Nadal began 2009 with a bang. Arguably, playing the best tennis of his life he showed the world once again why he was the best tennis player on the planet in Australia. Capturing his first career hard court major, he asserted his dominance over his favored rival, Federer in 5 thrilling sets. Forcing the once untouchable Federer to tears during the trophy presentation as his picked up his 5th consecutive win of Federer and third straight Major Final victory over the Swiss.

The Spaniard's blistering form continued throughout the early hard court swing, avenging a short handed loss to rival Andy Murray by destroying him in the Final of Indian Wells, a surface that favored the Scot. After a narrow defeat to Juan Martin Del Potro in Miami, Nadal embarked on his favorite surface. By the time the French Open swung around Nadal had recorded decisive wins over all of his top rivals. He was the clear cut world number one and had one of the best first halves to a season on record.

Then the bottom fell out. In truth,the first chink in Nadal's armor became visible when Roger Federer scored a stunning upset over him on the clay courts of Madrid. But while shocking, people didn't put much stock into it. Afterall, Nadal had played a four hour semifinal the previous day, and the conditions in Madrid's high altitude favored Federer's game.

The Nadal camp wasn't alarmed, for the conditions at Roland Garros would be far different, and Federer had only managed to win a few games off the Spaniard there the previous year. In fact, no one had taken even two sets off the Spainiard at the French Open before. All this would change, when a journeyman named Soderling put together the best match of his life.

Nadal clearly didn't have his best stuff, and the combined result was that Soderling pulled out a tight four set win by playing hard court tennis on a clay court. This was the beginning of the end.

Days after the shocking fourth round defeat, reports began to surface about Nadal's health. The primary focus was on his knees. Tests revealed acute tendinitis, a chronic condition only remedied by extended rest. The 2008 Wimbledon Champion had his worst fears realized. He would not be able to defend his Wimbledon title. Nadal's absence caused all of the points from last year's win to fall away and paved the way for Roger Federer to return to the number one spot.

Weeks passed by, finally Nadal returned to tour for the summer hard court swing. He looked leaner and not quite as explosive with his movement. He seemed to be hesitant to go full speed. As a result his results were decent, excellent even for a regular tour player, but subpar for the lofty standard to which he and Federer were held.

In his absence, Del Potro and Djokovic rose in confidence and Nadal found it very difficult to beat these guys on fast surfaces. To make matters worse, Nadal suffered another injury during the summer season. A strained stomach muscle prevented him from serve harder than 95 miles per hour and using his serve as a weapon. Nadal fought through to the semifinals of the U.S. Open matching his best effort from a year ago, but was defeated soundly by Del Potro.

The remainder of the season was marked by mediocre results (by his standard), a smattering of semifinal and final appearances but never winning an event. Nadal's confidence seemed to be shaken for the first time as he meekly crashed out of the Master's cup with three straight losses.

All in a you have to take a look at Nadal's season in halves. The first half, where Nadal was mostly healthy and confident, was brilliant; A+ work. The second half was an immense struggle. While "struggling" means first and second round losses to unknown players for virtually 90% of the tour, for Nadal it meant losing in the semis, and finals of events to other hot top 10 players. That alone should tell us just how good Nadal is. All that being said, we've never seen him lose so meekly in big matches before. His second semester rates at a B-.

All in all, Nadal gets a B+ for the entire year. Though caused by injury, so dramatic a drop off from the first half of the year prevents him from receiving an A, even though he did win a Major, reach the semifinals of another, and record victories over many of the top player.

Please read the previous instalment of How He Fared here