By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, October 11, 2020
Rafael Nadal demolished Novak Djokovic, 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 soaring to his 13th Roland Garros championship and matching Roger Federer’s record seizing his record-tying 20th Grand Slam title.
Photo credit: @RolandGarros
As tennis’ most expansive Grand Slam stage, Court Philippe Chatrier provides plenty of running room and no place to hide.
A ruthless Rafael Nadal snuffed out any safe space for Novak Djokovic streaking into Grand Slam history with desire and dominance.
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Playing with the confidence of a man sprinting downhill, Nadal demolished Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 soaring to his 13th Roland Garros championship and matching Roger Federer’s major mark seizing his record-tying 20th Grand Slam championship in stirring style.
On championship point, Nadal curled an ace out wide to close in two hours, 41 minutes dropping to his knees in joy after extending one of the most impressive streaks in all of sport.
The king of clay was masterful monarch becoming the first player in Open Era history to win any Tour-level event 13 times.
"Very tough year, but to win here means everything to me," Nadal told the crowd, which included Prince Albert of Monaco. "I don’t think today about the 20th [major] equal Roger on this great number. For me, today is just a Roland Garos victory.
"Roland Garros means everything to me. I spent the most important moments in my tennis career [here] no doubt about that. Thank you very, very much. The love story I have with this city and this court is unforgettable."
A dynamic Nadal raised his Roland Garros record to 100-2, including a perfect 26-0 in semifinals and finals with an astounding 81 of those 100 wins coming in straight sets.
The second-seeded Spaniard made history as the first man to win four Grand Slam championships without surrendering a set, a feat he achieved in Paris in 2008, 2010, 2017 and today.
"For me, winning here I cannot even say it’s a dream, it’s something that is out of my better thoughts," Nadal said. "Super happy for everything. For me, as everybody knows, this court is the most important court of my tennis career. The court I’ve enjoyed more special moments and today is one of these."
This blockbuster clash between iconic champions was a breathtaking beatdown by Nadal who played with the conviction of a man evicting the world No. 1 from his personal backyard.
This final was complete role reversal from the rivals last major title match. In the 2019 Australian Open final, a dazzling Djokovic dismantled Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, roaring to a seventh Australian Open championship. In today's rematch, Nadal flipped the script.
Denied in his quest to become the third man to win all four Grand Slam titles twice, Djokovic showed class in defeat praising his conqueror.
"A huge congratulations to Rafa and your team and family," Djokovic said. "Of course what you’re doing on this court is unbelievable—not just this court throughout your entire career you have been a great champion.
"Today you showed why you are the king of the clay. I have experienced it in my own skin. It was a very tough match for me today. Obviously not so pleased with the way I played, but I was definitely overplayed by a better player today on the court."
Dispensing all-court answers, Nadal obliterated the world No. 1 winning 12 of the first 14 games and permitting just seven games in his most lopsided French Open final since he destroyed Federer 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 in the 2008 final.
Episode 56 of the most prolific rivalry in ATP history began with Djokovic deploying four drop shots—and Nadal reading that play running down a dropper and lofting up a lob that helped him earn break point. The reigning champion broke to open.
Fifteen minutes into the match, a swath of sweat streaked Nadal’s pale blue shirt as he was ripping forehands off the red clay backing up the break for 2-0.
Athletic net play is one of Nadal’s most underrated assets. He thumped a smash and exploited a double fault to earn double break point in the third game and scored his second straight break.
Operating closer to the baseline than he typically does—perhaps to protect against his opponent’s drop shots—Nadal nullified three break points navigating a near nine-minute hold for 4-0.
Even when the top seed had the clear edge as he did banging a mid-court backhand, Nadal had an answer flicking a full-stretch backhand for a break point. Though Djokovic tried to target his opponent’s backhand, Nadal was cracking his two-hander with force. He fired a backhand crosscourt posting his third break for 5-0.
Zapping an ace wide, Nadal force-fed the world No. 1 his first bagel set since shutting him out in a 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 triumph in the 2019 Rome final.
"I was completely overplayed by Rafa, by better player on the court. I mean, he was not missing at all and getting every ball back, just playing tactically great," Djokovic said. "I felt well throughout the entire tournament. I thought I was in a great form. Certainly I could have played better, especially in the first two sets. But, you know, just he did surprise me with the way he was playing, the quality of tennis he was producing, the level.
"I mean, he's phenomenal. He played a perfect match, especially in the first two sets."
Often his own toughest critic, Nadal said he knew he needed a near-pristine performance today and he delivered. Though he expressed concerns about cooler conditions and the heavier Wilson ball that debuted at Roland Garros this year, Nadal conquered conditions and all comers. Nadal committed just 14 errors, 38 fewer than his rival, and broke serve seven times.
"Of course I played at an amazing level of tennis, no?," Nadal said. "For two sets and a half I played great. I can't say another thing. Is impossible to have this score against him without playing great.
"Yeah, played a very good final. I played at my highest level when I needed to play at my highest level, so something I am very proud. The personal satisfaction is big because under the circumstances that we played this Roland Garros, even if I played an amazing match this afternoon, the conditions are a little bit not the conditions are not the conditions I will choose, never, to play an event like this."
After a dismal opener that saw him shutout in set for the first time in a major final, the 2016 champion needed to step up fast. Fifty-four minutes into the match, Djokovic finally stalled his free-fall saving break points to start the second set with his first hold.
It was a short reprieve.
The top seed floated a drop shot too high and Nadal swooped in knifing a backhand for a fifth break point. When Djokovic netted a drive, Nadal had his fourth break for a 2-1 second-set lead.
Though the drop shot was a lethal weapon in Djokovic's run to the Rome title last month, repeatedly trying to drop shot Nadal on a clay court is as wise as trying to swipe the smile off the Mona Lisa's face.
"I mean, yeah, it didn't work great today, let's say," Djokovic said. "He was winning a lot of those dropshot points that were played by my side.
"I was probably rushing a bit much, trying to play shorter points, probably go for winners. I probably wasn't constructing the points well. "That reflected on the result. But that was also caused by him, by his amazing defense."
A flat Djokovic wasn’t winning the longer points and was getting burned when he deployed the dropper to try to shorten points. Quick off the mark, Nadal was reading the drop shot and repelling it shoveling a pass for break point and breaking again for 4-1 on the Serbian’s 26th unforced error.
A churning serve out wide gave Nadal a two-set lead after just 94 minutes. Armed with a 218-1 record when winning the first two sets in major matches, Nadal set out to complete this mission.
There is a time and place for everything.
Today’s final on the court Nadal regards as his own was not the time or place for Djokovic, who scattered errors across the terre battue gifting the break and a 3-2 lead to his nemesis.
Spinning Nadal around, Djokovic drilled a backhand down the line behind him to break back—his first break of the day—and level after six games.
Deadlocked at 5-all, Djokovic missed a forehand down the line to face break point. An aggressive second serve down the T narrowly missed the mark as Nadal broke for the seventh time for 6-5.
Contesting his 1,200 career match, Nadal knifed an ace out wide, dropped to his knees and pumped his fist furiously capping his 999th career win and joining rival Roger Federer at the top of the Grand Slam peak.
Dispatching one Big 3 rival, Nadal now stands on equal terms with another.
"I respect [20 Grand Slam titles] a lot that. For me means a lot to share this number with Roger, no?" Nadal said. "But let's see what's going on when we finish our careers. We keep playing. I don't know what can happen in the future. I am just excited and of course is something that means a lot to me.
"At the same time share this record between us, that we had an amazing rivalry for such a long time, is something in some way beautiful I really believe."