Nadal started 2011 by participating in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He defeated Tomáš Berdych 6–4, 6–4 to reach his third final in the exhibition tournament. In the final, he won over his main rival Roger Federer 7–6(4), 7–6(3).
At his first tour event of the year in an Australian Open warm-up tournament, the Qatar ExxonMobil Open ATP 250 event in Doha, Qatar, Nadal barely struggled past his first three opponents, Karol Beck 6–3, 6–0, Lukáš Lacko 7–6(3), 0–6, 6–3, and Ernests Gulbis 7–6(3), 6–3 citing fever as the primary reason for his poor performance. He fell in straight sets to a resurgent Nikolay Davydenko in the semifinals, 6–3, 6–2. He and countryman López won the doubles title by defeating the Italian duo Daniele Bracciali and Andreas Seppi 6–3, 7–6(4).
In the first round of the Australian Open, Nadal defeated Marcos Daniel of Brazil 6–0, 5–0 ret. In the second round, he beat upcoming qualifier Ryan Sweeting of the United States 6–2, 6–1, 6–1. In the third round, he was tested by emerging player Bernard Tomic of Australia, who previously ousted Nadal's countryman Feliciano López, but Nadal was victorious with a score of 6–2, 7–5, 6–3. He went on to defeat Marin Čilić of Croatia 6–2, 6–4, 6–3 in the fourth round. He suffered an apparent hamstring injury against fellow Spaniard David Ferrer early in the pair's quarterfinal match and ultimately lost in straight sets 4–6, 2–6, 3–6, thus ending his effort to win four major tournaments in a row.
On 7 February 2011, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Nadal won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for the first time, ahead of footballer Lionel Messi, Sebastian Vettel, Spain's Andres Iniesta, Lakers star Kobe Bryant and Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao.
In March, Nadal helped Spain defeat Belgium in a 2011 Davis Cup World Group first-round tie on hard indoor in Spiroudome, Charleroi, Belgium. Nadal defeated Ruben Bemelmans 6-2, 6-4, 6-2. after Spain's victory in three matches, Nadal played second match against Olivier Rochus without the importance and won 6-4, 6-2.
At the 2011 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, In the first match Nadal defeated upcoming qualifier Rik de Voest of South Africa 6-0, 6-2, In the Third round, he beat upcoming qualifier Ryan Sweeting of the United States 6-3, 6-1, He then defeated upcoming qualifier the Indian player Somdev Devvarman 7-5, 6-4 in the Fourth round. In the quarterfinals Nadal lived a hard time when he met a giant Croatian Ivo Karlovic but in the end he won 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(7), in the semi-finals Nadal meet the return from long injury Argentine player Juan Martin del Potro, the last three confrontations between the players was in favor of Del Potro, despite some difficulties Nadal won 6-4, 6-4. He reached his third final at Indian Wells, in the final Nadal lost against Novak Djokovic, despite the progress in the first set but the Serbian player has won in the end 6-4, 3-6, 2-6. After one day Nadal and Djokovic played a friendly match in Bogota, Colombia which Nadal won.
Nadal started 2011 Sony Ericsson Open win over Japanese player Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4, then met his compatriot Feliciano Lopez in the third round and defeated 6-3, 6-3, in the fourth round defeated Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 6-1, 6-2. In the quarterfinals played Nadal the first real test of the tournament where he met the world No. 7 seed Tomas Berdych,after the first set is ideal, the level of Nadal fell significantly because of an injured right shoulder, he losing the second set but eventually won 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. in the semi-finals Nadal met main rival Roger Federer, this is their first meeting in the semi-final since 2007 Masters Cup. The match ended in victory is very easy to Nadal 6-3, 6-2; this match is one of the fastest matches played solid players on the hard court. For the second time in two weeks, Nadal faced Novak Djokovic in the final. As in Indian Wells tournament, Nadal won the first set, but Djokovic won the second, and the third set ended in a tiebreak with Djokovic winning the match 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3). This is the first time Nadal had reached the final of tournaments Indian Wells and Miami together in the same year in his career.
Nadal began his clay-court season in style, winning the 2011 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters with the lost of just one set. Nadal reached the final easily where he defeated Jarkko Nieminen 6-2, 6-2, Richard Gasquet 6-2, 6-4, Ivan Ljubicic 6-1, 6-3 and Andy Murray 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in the semi-final to reach the seventh consecutive final in Monte Carlo. In the final, Nadal avenged his defeat to David Ferrer in the quarter-finals of 2011 Australian Open and won the match 6–4, 7–5. This means that he is the first man to have won seven tournaments in a row at the ATP level in the open era. Nadal chalked up his 37th straight win at the clay-court event, where he has not lost since 2003 Monte Carlo Masters. It was his 44th career title and 19th at a Masters event. Nadal had lost his three previous finals, twice to world No. 2 Novak Djokovic and once to No. 3 Roger Federer. It was the first title since winning the Japan Open. Guillermo Coria was the last player to beat Nadal at Monte Carlo, in the third round in 2003 and Nadal missed the 2004 tournament because of an injury. Nadal and share third place with Bjorn Borg and Manuel Orantes in the list of players most achievement in history on clay.
Just a week later, Nadal gained an extra 500 points, potentially crucial in the number 1 battle with Djokovic, by winning his sixth Barcelona Open crown, winning the 2011 Barcelona Open Banco Sabadell in straight sets. He won the final over Ferrer again (3rd Barcelona final and 5th clay court final), 6-2, 6-4. In doing so Nadal became the first man in the open era to have won two tournaments at least six times. Nadal is now the leader in terms of matches won this year, having won 29.
At Madrid in May, he defeated Marcos Baghdatis, had a walkover against Juan Martin del Potro, and defeated Michael Llodra and Roger Federer, before losing the final to Novak Djokovic, 7-5, 6-4.