Nadal beats Wawrinka for 10th French Open title
Spaniard bags unprecedented 10th crown at Roland Garros and will rise to number two in the rankings.
Claycourt king Rafael Nadal regained his Roland Garros throne after two years in exile with a brutal 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 mauling of Swiss Stan Wawrinka to complete ‘La Decima’.
Rewinding the clock to the days when he was untouchable on the crushed brick dust, the 31-year-old turned 2015 champion Wawrinka into a human punching bag, winning in just over two hours.
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This title, an unprecedented 10th at a single grand slam in the professional era, was arguably the most impressive of his 15 though as it arrived three injury-plagued years after the last one, without dropping a set and conceding only 35 games in seven matches.
Nadal’s French Open titles |
2017 – beat Stanislas Wawrinka 2014 – beat Novak Djokovic 2013 – beat David Ferrer 2012 – beat Novak Djokovic 2011 – beat Roger Federer 2010 – beat Robin Soderling 2008 – beat Roger Federer 2007 – beat Roger Federer 2006 – beat Roger Federer 2005 – beat Mariano Puerta |
Only Bjorn Borg, who conceded 32 on his way to the 1978 title, has been a more ruthless champion.
Having beaten world number one Andy Murray with a majestic display of power in the semi-final, third seed Wawrinka arrived full of confidence as, at 32, he tried to become the oldest French Open winner since Andres Gimeno in 1972.
But he was powerless as Nadal turned the final into an exhibition of his clayclourt supremacy – taking his French Open record to an eye-watering 79-2.
As a weary Wawrinka sliced a volley into the net on match point, Nadal collapsed on his back on the baseline.
“I’m a little emotional,” Nadal said before getting to clamp his jaws on La Coupe des Mousquetaires. “The nerves and adrenaline I feel on this court is impossible to compare.”
Nadal was joined in the presentation by his uncle Toni, his coach since boyhood, who is stepping down at the end of the year.
“Without my uncle, I would not have won 10 trophies,” said Nadal who will rise to number two in the world rankings on Monday.
“For me to be here for many years is difficult to describe. I come back and see people I have a good relationship with and it’s very special.”