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BREAKING NEWS (8th-15th June) Rafael Nadal wins 12th French Open title Roland Garros 0/2
BREAKING NEWS (8th-15th June) Rafael Nadal wins 12th French Open title Roland Garros
Rafael Nadal wins 12th French Open title Roland Garros
Rafael Nadal, hair thinning, legs slowing imperceptibly but genius intact, remains unbeatable on the clay of Roland Garros,. Not even a spirited challege by the world number 4, Dominic Thiem, could stop the 33-year-old Spaniard winning the French Open for a 12th time, a feat unlikely to be matched in their lifetimes, if ever.
For 2 sets the Austrian made a proper fight of it. But Nadal responded to the threat by tearing through the final 2 sets like the wind that has disrupted the schedule over the past few days to win 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 in 3 hours.
In his previous 11 finals only a handful of players have detained him longer than Thiem: Mariano Puerta on Nadal´s winning debut as a teenager, roger Federer three times and N. Djokovic in his toughest final, seven years ago. But a string of dazzled contenders have fallen with embarrasing haste -most notably Federer, when Nadal took only an hour and 48 minutes in allowing only four games in 2008.
On Sunday, Court Philippe Chatrier was Nadal´s again, and for ever. There surely is a case to rename the stadium -or some part of Roland Garros- after the Spaniard when he retires. He owns the place metaphorically and spiritually already.
Nadal confirmed later that long-term and recurring injuries eased just long enough for him to compete here. “I have had a very difficult year with a lot of physical problems. One month ago I didn´t even know I would be here. For me, the simple fact of having tried, having trained well in the last weeks to come back, is my biggest satisfaction”.
Nadal is the only player to win a dozen grand slam titles on the same court (Margaret Court won her 12 Australian Open titles at different venues), which also puts him four clear of Federer´s 8 championships at Wimbledon and Djokovic seven in Melbourne. Nadal moves to 18 majors, two behind Federer, three ahead of Djokovic.