Rafael Nadal kept his date with destiny at the French Open on Sunday, defeating Swiss Stan Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 to win an historic ‘La Decima’. The victory is a proclamation of Nadal as the undisputable King of clay.
Nadal‘s victory is Paris did not coe a surprise. His for this season has been imperious having scooped titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid. Nadal goes into the record books as the first tennis player in the Open era to win 10 titles at a single Grand Slam. Martina Navratilova, previously tied with Nadal, with her own nine singles titles at Wimbledon, while Margaret Court holds 11 singles titles at the Australian Open – a feat spanning both the amateur and open eras.
Nadal extended his head-to-head lead over Wawrinka to a stellar 16-3, and improves to a perfect 10-0 in French finals. He did not drop a set in his seven victories in Paris in 2017. Nadal now has 15 Grand Slam, second only Roger Federer who is on 18.
Facts on Nadal and the French Open 2017
- This was the first Roland Garros final between two players aged 30 and over since 1969, when 30-year-old Rod Laver defeated 34-year-old Ken Rosewall..
- Nadal is the third man after Ken Rosewall and Pete Sampras to win a Grand Slam single title as a teenager, in 20s and 30s.
What other tennis greats said about Rafael Nadal:
“I’d always thought I could win the French Open. My problem, of course, was Rafa. The guy is unbelievable on clay. Some people don’t want to believe it, but unfortunately that’s the truth. Rafa shattered my dreams many times on clay. He’s got shots that no other one has. When you have that, you are unique and special. Plus he’s got the grit. He’s got the mental and physical ability to sustain a super-high level of play for years and for hours and for weeks. He’s come back from many injuries, time and time again. He made it seem easy, and it’s not. I think he’s been tremendous for the game. I have a lot of respect for him on many levels. I think he made me a better player. For me, the ultimate challenge is always to play against him.”
– ROGER FEDERER, winner of 18 Grand Slam titles, including Roland-Garros 2009
“His movement is incredible. He’s able to adjust his shots on the run. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
– PETE SAMPRAS, winner of 14 Grand Slam titles.
“I understand that people are questioning his game now and where he’s going. But he’s somebody that understands what he needs to do when he’s feeling down to come back and fight to be the best. So I don’t think it’s a big deal. He’s 29, still has years in front of him and I’m sure he’s going to bounce back.”
– NOVAK DJOKOVIC – winner of 12 Grand Slams, including Roland-Garros 2016 – after beating Nadal in Paris in 2015
“Nadal showed that there is a way to play this sport that no one had tried yet. I’d put Nadal number one, Federer number two. It’s just remarkable to me what he has done, and he has done it all during Federer’s prime. He’s had to deal with Federer, Djokovic and Murray in the golden age of tennis. He has done what he has done and he’s not done yet. To win the French Open once is a herculean performance – he’s trying to win it for a 10th time. It’s just remarkable. He persevered through so much adversity, with people writing him off. I didn’t believe that with the amount of physicality he’s put into his career, he’d ever get his game back to that level. He certainly proved me wrong.”
– ANDRE AGASSI, winner of eight Grand Slam titles, including Roland-Garros 1999.
“Playing Nadal at the French Open is incredibly tiring, as you know he is not going to give you very much at all. You’re probably going to have to win most of the points yourself, and you’re going to have to do that for five sets. What I like best about him, though, is that he has always been so humble, and that is great to see.”
– BJORN BORG, winner of 11 Grand Slams, including Roland-Garros 1974-75 and 1978-81
“Playing Nadal on clay would be like going to the dentist to have root canal treatment.”
– STAN SMITH, winner of two Grand Slam titles
“To win on the clay courts and then on grass is an amazing feat, but Rafa is also one of the very best on hard courts when he’s fit, and it shows that he is a true all-rounder. He is a natural counter-puncher with incredible foot speed and relentless ground-strokes. When you play Nadal, you cannot afford to let your concentration slip for a moment. No one can ever discount him. You only have to give him a sniff of blood and the predator in him comes out.”
– BORIS BECKER, winner of six Grand Slam titles
AGASSI: “If it wasn’t for one freak of nature from Majorca…”
FEDERER: “…I could have won the French Open five times.”
