By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, June 11, 2017
Streaking past the doubles alley, Rafael Nadal was completely out of court but still crackling with creativity.
Splattering a 99 mph forehand down the line the ball splashed inside the baseline like a dab of yellow paint dripping on a red clay canvas.
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The crowd gasped, Stan Wawrinka applauded the audacious strike and NBC analyst John McEnroe raised the question many may have been thinking: “Should you shake hands there?” McEnroe wondered.
Cracking his forehand with artistic ruthlessness, Nadal became tennis’ ultimate number cruncher today.
Ruling the red clay with fierce resolve a dominant Nadal demolished Wawrinka, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 capturing his historic 10th Roland Garros championship without surrending a set in the tournament.
Delivering La Decima with dominance, Nadal dropped just 35 games in seven matches. It's the most commanding tournament performance since Hall of Famer Bjorn Borg permitted only 32 games ruling Roland Garros in 1978.
In a classy gesture, the tournament commemorated the occasion with Toni Nadal, Rafa's uncle and life-long coach, presenting the champion with a replica of the title trophy to take home.
Chomping the Coupe de Mousquetaires for the 10th time, Nadal took a major bite out of history.
The man from Mallorca is the first player in the Open Era—man or woman—to win the same Slam 10 times.
"It’s incredible," Nadal said. "The feeling that I have here is impossible to describe and difficult to compare to other places. For me, the nerves, the adrenaline I feel when I play on this court it is impossible to compare to another feeling.
"For me the most important event in my career without a doubt. To win here is something I cannot describe."
The 31-year-old Spaniard claimed his 15th career Grand Slam championship passing Hall of Famer Pete Sampras for sole ownership of second-place on the all-time list behind Roger Federer, who rallied from a break down the fifth set to subdue Nadal in the Australian Open final.
Three years since his last Grand Slam title and 12 years after his first Roland Garros crown, Nadal showed menacing muscle memory permitting just 35 games in seven tournament victories.
Unleashing upper-cut forehands like body blows, Nadal battered the 2015 French Open champion into defensive positions handing Wawrinka his first Grand Slam final loss in four major finals.
"You were too good, congrats to you and your team," Wawrinka told Nadal afterward. "You’re a big example. Winning 10 times, it’s something unbelievable. It’s always been an honor for me to paly against you."
It was the first French Open final between 30-somethings since 1969, when 30-year-old Rod Laver defeated 34-year-old Ken Rosewall.
On a sun-swept 86-degree day, Wawrinka worked his way forward snapping a smash for break point in the third game.
The wide slider served as Nadal’s eraser: curling a slice serve wide to save break point, he whipped a 117 mph ace wide on the deuce side, muting the uprising for 2-1.
The sturdy Swiss was coming off a grueling four hour, 34-minute semifinal conquest of world No. 1 Andy Murray on Friday and had spent five hours, 19 minutes more than his fit and feisty opponent through six matches.
How would Wawrinka’s legs hold up to Nadal’s unrelenting physicality and torrent of topspin? Nadal set out to find out.
Four games into the match, Wawrinka withstood a nine-and-a-half minute game fending off four break points to level.
Collateral damage from that skirmish—compounded by Nadal’s vicious topspin that bounded shoulder-high—caught up to the Swiss. Wawrinka pasted a forehand into net to face triple break point.
Pushed wide by a Nadal backhand return, Wawrinka tried to recover to the middle of the court but clipped the tape with a slice backhand as Nadal score the first break for 4-2.
Racing forward behind a forehand, Nadal knifed a high backhand volley to consolidate as Wawrinka hunched over behind the baseline in frustration.
Grunting and striking with greater conviction, Nadal cornered the US Open champion with a barrage of twisting topspin forehands for double set point. When Wawrinka sent a forehand long, the nine-time champion had a one-set lead. Despite serving only 48 percent, Nadal won nine of 11 first-serve points in the set.
Chair umpire Pascal Maria hit Nadal with a time violation warning at 30-all in the opening game of the second set.
Without even a glance toward the chair, Nadal proceeded to pull the plug on Wawrinka.
Drilling a diagonal forehand winner for triple break point, Nadal broke for 2-0 when Wawrinka pasted a forehand into net on the 15th shot of a baseline exchange. That break left a frustrated Wawrinka chomping on a ball while Nadal chewed through rallies.
"Rafael was too good today," Wawrinka told McEnroe afterward. "Physically, I was feeling all right but when he’s playing like that it’s tough.
"He is just playing so aggressive he doesn’t give you any time. For sure, I didn’t play a great match, I didn’t play my best tennis but it’s because of him he was too good... You always feel under pressure against him especially on clay. Today it was just impossible win."
Things got so sloppy for the 2015 champion, he actually hit a wild backhand pass behind the chair umpire. Nadal roared through his seventh straight game building a 3-0 second-set lead.
A weary Wawrinka finally stopped the skid with his first hold since he saved four break points in the fourth game.
The fourth-seed’s stunning strike down the line left an incredulous Wawrinka wearing a WTF expression as he applauded the magic.
Serving for the set, Nadal attacked net putting a lunging forehand volley in the center of the court. Wawrinka had a good look at a forehand pass, but missed the mark then wound up and tomahawked his Yonex racquet to the red clay before snapping the shattered stick over his knee.
The stick was a mangled mess and Wawrinka’s hopes for a comeback looked similarly shattered when Nadal seized a two-set lead after 86 minutes.
Continuing the onslaught, Nadal was off the court for a backhand return, danced forward and slashed a diagonal forehand breaking to open the third set.
Rhythmic clapping from the crowd preceded Wawrinka serving down break point in the fifth game. Nadal muted the matter when Wawrinka scattered a forehand long. Nadal’s fifth service break gave him a commanding 4-1 lead.
On his second championship point, Nadal curled a final crosscourt forehand then collapsed to the clay in exhilaration on Wawrinka’s error.
Rising quickly with a swath of red clay color the back of his blue shirt, Nadal raised both arms to the sky and threw a triumphant fist in the air.
During the trophy ceremony, banners with the number 10 and "Bravo Rafa" waved from the upper deck while Nadal clutched the trophy on the court below possibly recalling how it all began.
Twelve years ago, a 19-year-old Nadal was sporting a sleeveless shirt, calf-long shorts and shoulder-length hair that framed the youthful face of a ball kid when he saved three set points in the 10th game beating back Mariano Puerta, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 in a phenomenal 2005 French Open final filled with electrifying exchanges.
"This is an incredible feeling," Nadal, who closed his eyes and clenched his fists in triumph after his first major triumph, said. "This is a dream come true."
That day Nadal became the first teenager to take home a Grand Slam title since a 19-year-old Pete Sampras won the 1990 US Open.
On this day, Nadal surpassed Sampras and moved closer to archrival Federer on the all-time Slam list.
The dream continues and the man chomping on the silver championship trophy today showed he’s still got a vast appetite for major moments.