Rafael Nadal, once again the uncontrollable sporting force of nature that continues to inspire awe in us all, rampaged his way to an 11th Roland-Garros title in his 11th final here on Sunday to extend perhaps the most fantastic domination of a single global championship that sport has witnessed.
It was a no less brutal, brilliant and breathtaking performance than any of the other 10 but his 6-4 6-3 6-2 triumph over a plucky but outclassed and overwhelmed final debutant Dominic Thiem may have been even more startling in its manner, the emphatic way he dismantled the Austrian pretender’s blistering game and imposed his own monstrous version.
It was a complete performance and a complete demolition. And for Thiem, seeking to be the first Austrian Grand Slam winner since Thomas Muster here 23 years ago, a completely demoralizing experience as he never attained the heights of which he’s capable.
Nadal looked to the heavens and later shed a few tears with La Coupe des Mousquetaires grasped to his chest amid all the cheers, it almost seemed as if ‘La Undecima’ meant more to the great man than any of the previous wins.
“It was a very special moment to receive that minute or two minutes of the crowd supporting me, the feeling in that moment was difficult to describe. Very emotional for me.”
Nadal ties Margaret Court’s all-time record of most singles crowns won at any single Grand Slam by any player, in the Australian Open between 1960 and 1973. And how Nadal is now back to within three of Roger Federer’s record 20 Grand Slams. And how he has now won 111 best-of-five-sets clay court matches and lost just two.
Simona Halep beat Sloane Stephens 3-6 6-4 6-1
Earlier on Saturday, Romanian Simona Halep won her maiden Grand Slam title defeating Sloane Stephens of the United States in 3 sets in the women’s final. Halep has already lost 3 Grand Slam finals before her triumph on Saturday
