Roland Garros—Paris, France
Rafael Nadal won his 13th French Open title on Sunday in Paris, France, defeating No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5. The match, which featured two of the most decorated champions the game has ever seen, saw Nadal begin at this top level. Winning the first set in 44 minutes, Nadal used his defensive and offensive to perfection and handed Djokovic his first 6-0 set loss in a Grand Slam final.
Second Set Much of the Same
Continuing his high standard of play in set two, Nadal won five games in a row after Djokovic held to lead 1-0. Chasing down drop-shots and striking his forehand up-the-line, Nadal raced to a two set lead and never looked back.
Winning his 100th career match at Roland Garros, Nadal also captured his 86th career title and tied Roger Federer with 20 Majors. Not dropping a set throughout the fortnight, Nadal improved to 22-4 on the season.
The legendary Spaniard once again proved that he’s the undisputed best player to ever compete on a clay court.
Djokovic, who had not lost an official match all year, fell to 37-2. The Serb was recently defaulted from the US Open in the fourth round against Pablo Carreno Busta. Aiming to win his 18th Major, Djokovic was attempting to become the only man to win every Grand Slam event twice.
Will Federer Win Another Major Title?
As it currently stands, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are tied with 20 Majors, with Djokovic in second place with 17. The next opportunity for the trio to capture a Grand Slam will be in in Melbourne, Australia.
Djokovic has won Down Under eight times, with Nadal winning the title once in 2009. Federer is also set to return to competition in Australia, where he will resume his quest to add to his Major total. The Swiss great has been out of action all year after having knee surgery.
