Clay champ brushes aside Stan Wawrinka to claim historic 10th French Open title
Rafael Nadal. Pics/Getty Images,AFP
Rafael Nadal completed his own La Decima by crushing Stan Wawrinka to win an unprecedented 10th French Open title.
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The Spaniard becomes the first man to reach double figures at a single Slam and, if he continues to play like this, then Margaret Court's all-time record of 11 Australian Open titles looks certain to fall. Nadal was at his most masterful on the stage he has made his own and needed just two hours and five minutes to beat Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1. The 31-year-old lost only 35 games in seven matches and won the title without dropping a set for the third time.
Stan Wawrinka and Rafael Nadal pose with their trophies
It was Wawrinka's first Grand Slam final defeat for the Swiss, who won the Australian Open in 2014, here two years ago and the US Open last summer. Nadal has not had to wait as long as Real Madrid did for a 10th European title but, for a man who won nine titles in 10 years, two years without one was virtually an eternity. After losing just his second match here against Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals in 2015, Nadal was forced to pull out ahead of the third round last year with a left wrist injury.
Nadal's desolation then was in stark contrast to the joy he showed here at the moment of victory, lying flat on his back in customary fashion to celebrate a remarkable achievement.
Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates his French Open final victory against Swiss Stan Wawrinka at Paris yesterday
Wawrinka had dominated the baseline against Murray and smacked 87 winners but here he was being pushed way back by Nadal's vicious spin. The high forehand to a one-hander's backhand, the shot that has been Roger Federer's nemesis, was working just as well against his compatriot.
Wawrinka actually had the first break point in the third game in a scratchy start to the match but soon he was the one under pressure. He fought hard against a rampaging Nadal but in the end limped to a humiliating defeat.
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