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By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, June 9, 2019

 
Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal reeled off 12 of the final 14 games defeating Dominic Thiem, 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1, to claim his record-extending 12th Roland Garros crown.

Photo credit: Getty

Suffering is a prerequisite for clay-court success says Rafael Nadal.

Surrendering a set in a Roland Garros final for the first time in five years, the second-seeded Spaniard wasn't suffering identity crisis.

Nadal: Incredible RG Run Difficult to Explain

Departing Court Philippe Chatrier for a clothing change, Nadal returned recharged and dispensed a dose of pain powering into history.

An energized Nadal rolled through 12 of the final 14 games charging to his record-extending 12th Roland Garros championship with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 triumph over a valiant and depleted Dominic Thiem.



Wrapping his 23rd straight French Open victory, Nadal fell flat on his back behind the baseline then rose wearing a swath of the red clay he relishes across the back of his canary-colored shirt pulling his top over his eyes to wipe away tears of joy.

The 33-year-old Spaniard is the first player, man or woman, to win the same Slam 12 times—a towering achievement for the man who owns a 24-0 record in Roland Garros semifinals and finals.

"I don't know (how I did it), just working hard and still hold the passion for what I am doing," Nadal told NBC's John McEnroe afterward. "Then of course a little bit of lucky and you need to be ready for these two weeks. And it's happened a lot of times in my career.

"It's really amazing to have this trophy with me again. You don't know how much this means to me."




It is Nadal's 18th career Grand Slam championship as he narrows the gap to within two majors of equaling rival Roger Federer's all-time record of 20 Grand Slam titles—and widens his lead over 15-time Slam champion Novak Djokovic.

It's the closest Rafa has come to Roger in the Grand Slam race since 2003 when the Swiss won his first Slam at Wimbledon and the Spaniard played his first Grand Slam.

"It's a motivation, but it's not my obsession," Nadal said of the major record. "If you ask me whether I would like it, of course. If that's a goal in my career, no. It's not what makes me get up every morning or go and train and play. It's not the way in which I view the sport, and it's not the way in which I consider my sports career.

"I want to follow my own journey, give myself the best opportunities, and give myself the possibility of competing at the highest level. And if I end up in a position like that of today where I'm the one who won most Roland Garros in history, well, all very well."

The king of clay was a ruthless ruler today raising his Roland Garros record to an astounding 93-2, improving to 118-2 in best-of-five-set matches contested on clay and capturing his 82nd career championship.




La Docena is absolutely ascendant achievement for Nadal, who was staggered by an assortment of injuries that limited him to just nine tournaments last year.

Consider Nadal has now doubled legendary champion Bjorn Borg's French Open career total and owns 12 Roland Garros crowns in an era where only three other men in Open Era history have won more than 12 majors.

A tenacious Thiem was truly facing a mission impossible today.

Playing for the fourth straight day, Thiem faced the massive challenge of recovering from the dizzying high of toppling top-seeded Novak Djokovic in a two-day semifinal win that ended yesterday then coming back to try knocking off Nadal on the court where he's never lost a final—an extreme experience Thiem summed up in celestial terms.

"I just come from heaven to hell, I guess," Thiem told McEnroe afterward. "But it's tough right now because you have to beat seven good players to win this tournament and toward the end you have to beat one or two legends with 15-plus Grand Slams.

"And and if you're not 100 percent, you're not gonna make it."




Returning to Paris, Nadal was overshadowed at times by world No. 1 Novak Djokovic's quest to sweep his fourth straight Grand Slam crown to complete his second career Nole Slam as well as fans enthusiastically embracing Grand Slam king Roger Federer.

The 37-year-old Swiss returned to the French Open after a four-year sabbatical and looked revitalized roaring into the semifinals where force of nature Nadal and nature's force of 40 mph wind gusts conspired to snap Roger's five-match winning streak over Rafa that spanned five years.

"I have been going through some very tough moments the last 18 months," Nadal told McEnroe. "A lot of injuries, a lot of problems on my body.

"So after Indian Wells when I had to retire with that semfiinal against Roger, mentally I went down. Have been some low moments for me, but I think I am more proud of more than even the trophy, with the help of my family and team to keep going, accept the challenge. I had to irmprove a few things and that's how I got to the final and here with the trophy."

This rematch of the 2018 final saw the Austrian draw first break blood.

An adrenalized Thiem won an electric nose-to-nose net exchange for break point in the fifth game. Turning his hips and shoulders, Thiem vaporized a vicious inside-out forehand earning the first break for 3-2.




Of course, a break isn't a break until you hold.

No one knows that better than Nadal, a master of the re-break. Curling a crosscourt forehand winner, Nadal broke back in the sixth game.

Fierce physical rallies escalated in a pulsating seventh game. Nadal bolted a backhand winner down the line wrapping an 11-minute hold that saw him save a break point for 4-3.

Though Thiem stayed in step through the first seven games, Nadal turned up the intensity even higher lifting his level to a place the Austrian could not sustain.

In the eighth game, Nadal streaked up to a drop shot answering with a dazzling re-dropper of his own for break points. Targeting Thiem at net, Nadal cranked a churning backhand breaking for the second straight time.




The second-seeded Spaniard burst through 10 of the final 12 points reeling off four consecutive games to close the 55-minute opener for his 10th straight set over Thiem at Roland Garros.

Contesting their second straight Roland Garros final, Nadal and Thiem were the fourth pair of players to reach consecutive French finals since the event became international in 1925— after Fred Perry and Gottfried von Cramm (1935-36), Ken Rosewall and Rod Laver (1968-69), and Nadal and Roger Federer (2006-08).

Midway through the second set, Thiem altered his return position slightly moving a bit closer toward the baseline.

Still, neither man managed a break point through 11 games. Thiem charged through 12 of 14 service points taking a 5-4 second-set lead. Meanwhile, Nadal was matching serve supremacy breezing through three love holds in leveling after 10 games.

Thiem's girlfriend, Roland Garros doubles champion Kristina Mladenovic, was on her feet exhorting him to pounce when Nadal missed a forehand to face double set point. Wrenching control of the ensuing rally, Thiem drew a backhand error breaking to level the match and take his first set in 11 attempts against Nadal in Paris.




A transformative trip turned the match around as Nadal left the court for a clothing change after losing the set, then , imposed his identity in closing the show.

"Well, first of all, I had to go to the bathroom, to the men's room," Nadal said. "But also, I wanted to think and be clear-minded and go back to the court with the right mindset to keep control of the match, because up till then I hadn't felt that.

"He had served well. Every time I was in a bad position after he served because, with someone like Dominic, it's very difficult to return. He hits very hard. I managed to hit the first ball from a good position. But with him, it's very difficult to return when he's in attacking position.

"So I analyzed things, and I felt that I had to solve this particular proble Charging through 11 straight points, Nadal bent low for an exquisite drop volley to back up the break then immediately earned triple-break point in the third game."

Reading the direction of a diagonal forehand from his opponent before the shot even left Thiem's Babolat racquet, Nadal was already in place to stroke a clean forehand down the line earning the double-break for 3-0 after just nine minutes of third-set play. Nadal streaked through 16 of the first 17 points to take command of the third set and the match.

An eye-popping full-stretch backspinning drop volley from Nadal drew gasps from fans as he stamped another love hold to go up 4-0 after just 13 minutes. Flashing a forehand crosscourt, Thiem finally stopped his slide to get on the board.

Tomahawking a diagonal forehand took Nadal to set point and when Thiem slapped a shot into the top of the tape, Nadal broke again to secure a two-sets to one lead and start the fourth set serving.

"I think that the level in the first set until 4-3 was very high, very intense then I dropped a little bit," Thiem said. "Second set, I played very aggressive, the way I should play, then I dropped in my game for some reason.

"It's not that bad against some other guys, but Rafa stepped on me. That's why he's so good. It's an amazing two weeks I'll try again next year."

Blitzed in the third set, Thiem earned break point to start the fourth set.

A feisty Nadal denied it then played dynamic points rampaging through his sixth break of the day for a 2-0 lead that left Thiem, who had to be depleted playing his fourth straight day, looking a little deflated.

"It was a Grand Slam final, so I didn't really feel tired," Thiem said. "But of course it's gonna leave some traces the last four days and all the long tournaments. But I played against a guy who won this tournament 12 times so it's not the reason I lost."

In a concession to growing fatigue, Thiem began loading up trying to end points prematurely with one big strike rather than constructing points with the care he showed through the first two sets.

Coach Nicolas Massu was up on his feet in the support box exhorting Thiem in an effort to energize his charge and Thiem answered gaining a couple of break points. Nadal snuffed out the revival carving out successive slick drop volley winners.

The 33-year-old Spaniard was three games away from La Docena. Nadal won 23 of 27 net trips, including some clever drop volleys.




Nadal sprinted through the finish rising from the crushed red brick with an ecstatic grin on his face and streaks of red clay across his back. Nadal's 950th career victory was one of his most satisfying.

"I think I had a lot of issues during all my tennis career in terms of health," Nadal said. "So I always played with high intensity, big passion for this sport. Big passion for the competition, too, no?

"And all the things that I went through probably give me that extra passion when I am playing, because I know I will not be here forever. So I just try to be positive, to be intense, and to be passionate about what I am doing."

Twelve Roland Garros championships, 18 Grand Slam crowns and one legendary will to win all make the king of clay a true tennis treasure.

 

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