We were in Rafael Nadal territory today, a territory that he had carved out for himself, a territory that he wasn’t ready to give up.
Thiem was the biggest challenger to Nadal’s little land of ‘clay brilliance’, and while on his day he could match Nadal shot for shot, he couldn’t quite match Nadal’s mental strength, one that he had acquired over 12 long years in Paris.
11 titles, 11 grand slam titles at a single event, 11 instances of proving all the naysayers wrong; Rafael Nadal just pushed the entry point of his own territory a little further away from any Tennis player in the world(past, present or future).
In what turned out to be a rather one-sided encounter, Rafael Nadal brushed aside the challenge of Dominic Thiem in straight sets to lift his 11th(yes 11th) French Open title.
The first set was pretty intense, as Thiem matched Nadal shot for shot from the baseline. The only issue from Thiem’s perspective was that he couldn’t find those angles on important points and Nadal was a little better with his drop shots.
The second and third set though were all Nadal, with Thiem coming up with bouts of ‘good play’ but he just couldn’t keep hitting those balls with enough fizz for a sustained period of time.
This is how Twitter reacted:
🐐 🎾 🐐 🎾 🐐 🎾
Rafael Nadal has won the French Open AGAIN.
Reaction 👇https://t.co/71kAdwLqQY
📻@5livesport#bbctennis #RG18 pic.twitter.com/chleh8TZzO— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 10, 2018
Vamos X 1⃣1⃣!
It’s #LaUndecima for the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, who holds on to his #FrenchOpen 👑, defeating Thiem 6-4, 6-3, 6-2! 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/SeagsljC6V
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 10, 2018
Rafa Nadal has just won his 11th French Open title!
🏆 2005
🏆 2006
🏆 2007
🏆 2008
🏆 2010
🏆 2011
🏆 2012
🏆 2013
🏆 2014
🏆 2017
🏆 2018THE KING OF CLAY! 👑🎾https://t.co/bUZWC214yR
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) June 10, 2018
Male major-tournament singles champions the past 21 months, in order:
Roger Federer
Rafael Nadal
Roger Federer
Rafael Nadal
Roger Federer
Rafael Nadal
Is there some sort of trend or something at work here?#AccentRG #RG18 #RolandGarros
— Matt Zemek (@mzemek) June 10, 2018
Rafael Nadal:
– 79 overall🏆
– 17 GS🏆
– 32 M1000🏆
– 20 ATP500🏆
– 2 Gold Medals
– 4 Davis Cup🏆
– $100M prize money#HumanPerson 👑💖🐐— King Rafa (@Rafamazing) June 10, 2018
Most Grand Slam singles titles at a single Grand Slam tournament
Rafael Nadal 11 (French Open)
Margaret Court 11 (Australian Championships/Open)— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) June 10, 2018
Current Male Grand Slam singles titles standings:
Roger Federer – 20
Rafael Nadal – 17
Pete Sampras – 14
Roy Emerson – 12
Novak Djokovic – 12
Bjorn Borg – 11
Rod Laver – 11— David Law (@DavidLawTennis) June 10, 2018
French Open singles titles for Rafael Nadal
2005
2006
2007
2008
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2017
2018And it sure looks like he’s not done yet
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) June 10, 2018
Roger Federer won his first Grand Slam in the first one Nadal ever appeared in—that was 15 years ago.
Rafael Nadal won his first French Open in Andre Agassi’s last—that was 13 years ago.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have won the last 6 Grand Slams—that’s just unreal. pic.twitter.com/skUKaIochl
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) June 10, 2018
Once and again, Rafael Nadal is the argument-ender on clay.
“Once” can be said with an English or Spanish pronunciation, since “11” beckons.
Un-Parera-lleled.#AccentRG#AccentRafa
— Matt Zemek (@mzemek) June 10, 2018
Best tennis player in the world: Rafael Nadal
2nd best tennis player in the world: Injured Rafael Nadal#RG18— Mohammed ElMeligy (@ElMeligyMoh) June 10, 2018
Rafael Nadal beats Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to win his 11th French Open title, 17th major overall.
I was in 8th grade when this man won here for the first time.
I am 26 years old. #RG18
— Matt Dowell (@TheMattDowell) June 10, 2018
‘It’s like bowling shoes, but they are the same size” – Mary Carillo on NBC on the fact that Rafael Nadal’s shoes have a “10” on them for the number of #RolandGarros titles he has won and next year, having an “11” on them
— Randy Walker (@TennisPublisher) June 10, 2018
Nadal & Clay are like Rum & Coke. #FrenchOpen #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/oepP8XbbN9
— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) June 10, 2018
Imagine if Nadal won Wimbledon to make it Federer 20-18 Nadal.
— David Law (@DavidLawTennis) June 10, 2018
Dinastía en tierra batida, leyenda del tenis, héroe del deporte: @RafaelNadal
Tennis legend and hero: #RafaelNadal#RolandGarros #VamosRafa pic.twitter.com/IgvhRDt9Qg— Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos) June 10, 2018
