"In Australia he killed me a couple of times ago," Nadal said, referring to. Victory over an opponent who had not lost in 38 completed matches all year put him in the most illustrious centurions’ club, alongside Chris Evert’s 101 wins at the US Open, Federer’s 102 in Melbourne and 101 at Wimbledon, and Serena Williams, who has won 106 times at Flushing Meadows. But at the French Open, Nadal has been a constant in his greatness. Federer has spread his 20 majors over 14 years and seven months – just four months longer than Nadal. © 2021 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. They’re tied 4-all in major finals. Nadal had already begun to show his supreme talents on clay courts, having entered that year’s French Open on a 17-match unbeaten streak on clay. That's all there is to it. Djokovic was not so reluctant: “Today you showed why you are king of the clay,” he said to his humble friend. That is a near impenetrable shutout of their contemporaries in the Open era. He stopped Djokovic, too, from becoming the first man in the Open Era to win each of the majors at least twice. "I just really hope that the situation improves very soon.". He said the tournament's new balls and cool weather don't favor his spin heavy game -- the coronavirus pandemic prompted organizers to move the event from its usual late May start -- but the 34-year-old Spaniard overcame the different conditions to tally a 13th Roland Garros crown and 100th win in southwest Paris. Nadal has chosen to train with two players he knows well, and who are friends with him, Stan Wawrinka (who won the Australian Open) and Diego Schwartzman, who won the … "I do not think today about the 20th to equal Roger on this great number," he said as he addressed the crowd. Rafael Nadal's bid to equal Roger Federer's record of 20 Grand Slams at this year's French Open remains alive following victory over Jannik Sinner in the tournament's latest ever finish. "I have always had the utmost respect for my friend Rafa as a person and as a champion," Federer, "Therefore it is a true honor for me to congratulate him on his 20th grand slam victory. Despite losing the first set on a tiebreak, he then reeled off three sets in a row to claim the first French Open title of many. Nadal compiled a healthy 31 winners to only 14 unforced errors to hand the 17-time grand slam winner the worst loss in any of his 27 grand slam finals. Nadal next faces 213th-ranked American qualifier Sebastian Korda, the son of 1998 Australian Open champion and 1992 French Open runner-up … 2018 French Open Tennis Tournament - Rafael Nadal of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia while playing a tie break doubles exhibition match against Simone Halep of Romania and Alexander Zverev of Germany on Court Philippe Chatrier during a packed Children's Day at Roland Garros before the start of the 2018 French Open Tennis Tournament at Roland Garros on May 26th 2018 in … 10 Oct 2020 2020 French Open men's final: Preview, stats and more Nadal leads 9-6 in Grand Slam matches, including 6-1 at the French Open. Nadal enters the French Open 2020 with a 93-2 record at the event. They locked horns like a pair of old pugs, knowing they were about to suffer as they had done so often. World No 2 thrashes No 1 seed 6-0, 6-2, 7-5, Spaniard equals Roger Federer’s haul of 20 grand slam titles. Nadal falls out of love with French Open but still courting attention. 10 October 2020. Especially the first two sets. “It was remarkable shot-making from both players,” the two-times champion Jim Courier observed on ITV. Evert on Rafael Nadal's record Spain’s Rafael Nadal (L) celebrates after winning the French Open final against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (R). The Serb had only suffered defeat in one match in 2020 -- that. He was broken from 40-15 in the opening game to give Nadal the best possible start in front of the limited number of fans in attendance. On Sunday, at 33, he brought a suspect neck and his outsized heart. "Everything was okay," he said. Nadal was not quite the unchallenged master yet of his “own house”, as Djokovic called it beforehand, but his game was rock solid behind a 92% first serve. Between 2005 and 2020, he has won a record 13 titles at the French Open. "One month and a half ago, if you told me you're going to have this trophy with you again, I will say, 'This year will probably be too difficult,'" said Nadal. Nadal skipped the US Open due to virus concerns and to prepare for the French Open. It has been mostly a benign Spanish rule, tolerated then celebrated in the face of the inevitable. Let's see what is going on.". At many stages in this compelling struggle the scoreboard seemed at odds with what was happening on court. He is an automatic favorite at the event, as admitted by Djokovic himself. He needed the latter. All rights reserved. Roland Garros means everything to me. (CNN)In this unusual, surreal 2020, Rafael Nadal carved out a remarkable piece of history by reaching a landmark 20 in tennis terms. Nadal dominated Novak Djokovic in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2, 7-5, to win the men's 2020 French Open title, giving him his 20th career grand slam victory. All the superlatives you can use, he deserves them.". But there was no denying the incomparable Spaniard, who struck his fourth ace for a merciful release from the agony. “Nadal was very aware of the drop shot.”. Rafael Nadal demolishes Novak Djokovic to win 13th French Open title. "I am just excited and of course is something that means a lot to me," he said. Winning finals of this quality will put a few more wrinkles on his brow. Rafael Nadal beat world number one Novak Djokovic in the 2020 French Open final at Roland Garros on Sunday. A 13th title will also give him his 100th win on the Parisian clay. After the second set ended, it was clear Djokovic wouldn't be the first man in 83 tries to come back from two sets down against Nadal at Roland Garros, and an inevitable break resulted at 2-2 in the third. Spaniard equals Roger Federer’s haul of 20 grand slam titles. Nadal has never lost a French Open final but Djokovic certainly presented danger. Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic 6-0 6-2 7-5 to win his 13th French Open and 20th grand slam title to tie Roger Federer for the all-time men's lead in majors. I was beaten by a guy who was just perfect today. The finalists exchanged several extended rallies that saw both well outside the doubles lines, Nadal habitually coming out on top. Federer was quick to congratulate Nadal on Twitter. Nadal turned professional at age 15, and participated in two events on the ITF junior circuit. Djokovic was now moving better and launching himself into shots though Nadal met the challenge and yelled "come on" to hold for 4-4. The first time they played in Paris in 2006, Djokovic retired with a back injury in the second set. How to explain a first set in which the two best players in the men’s game traded shots of mind-numbing quality for 45 minutes, yet Nadal inflicted a rare bagel on the world No 1? Lungs sucked hard at the cool air. Yet nobody in the history of the game has won more than Nadal’s six grand slams after turning 30. Djokovic and Tsitsipas go the distance Nadal was cruising at 4-2, 30-0 in the third yet suffered a blip to give Schwartzman hope. "Winning 13 times, yeah, there's not much you can say. He had won their last three grand slam matches and they were huge blows to Nadal -- including in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros five years ago. Defending French Open champion Ashleigh Barty opted to skip both majors amid coronavirus concerns. They were capped at 1,000 because of the ongoing pandemic, with tennis players now used to competing behind closed doors or in front of small numbers. French Open: Rafael Nadal says he must improve to beat Novak Djokovic in final. • Rafael Nadal wins the 2020 French Open, retaining his title as the Roland Garros, subduing his longtime challenger, Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5. What both sought to exploit was their eye for an angle and it was a delight to watch as they finessed close-quarter points with uncanny anticipation and the sharpest of 30-plus reflexes, alongside full-muscled winners deep and wide. It was compelling theatre and tough to watch. Nadal was broken for the first time and Djokovic got the crowd going with his emphatic celebration. Novak Djokovic drove Rafael Nadal to almost unprecedented heights of excellence but was powerless to stop his old rival winning his 13th French Open and the 20th major he needed to match the record of their absent friend, Roger Federer. Here are their vital statistics. But this is indeed Nadal on clay. Djokovic outlasts Tsitsipas to set up French Open final against Nadal – as it happened Rafael Nadal defeated Diego Schwartzman in three tight … Every shot echoed alongside a grunt. French Open French Open 2020: Rafael Nadal thrashes Novak Djokovic in final – as it happened Rafael Nadal, the world No 2, thrashed the top seed and world No 1 Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 And while his dominance on clay is widely celebrated, it has also become a famous topic of mockery. “Maybe in the future someone will witness something better but, in my mind, that’s the biggest sporting achievement any sport will ever see.”. From there the set and the match entered the realm of the surreal. A lot of marriages don’t last that long and their relationship – with interventions from Djokovic – has been the enduring rivalry of modern sport. French Open men's final: Nadal dominates Djokovic. He would now pull off the greatest comeback in the modern game – winning three sets in a row from 2-0 down against the best player in the history of clay-court tennis – or lose for the first time in six grand slam finals since Stan Wawrinka beat him at the US Open in 2016. 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