Ruthless Nadal outplays Wawrinka to clinch French Open title
Paris: Claycourt king Rafa Nadal regained his Roland Garros throne after two years in exile with a brutal 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 mauling of Swiss Stan Wawrinka to complete ‘La Decima’ at the Court Philippe Chatrier Sunday.
Rewinding the clock to the days when he was untouchable on the crushed brick dust, the 31-year-old turned 2015 champion Wawrinka into a human punchbag, winning in just over two hours.
This title, an unprecedented 10th at a single Grand Slam in the professional era, was arguably the most impressive of his 15 though as it arrived three injury-plagued years after the last one, without dropping a set and conceding only 35 games in seven matches. Only Bjorn Borg, who conceded 32 on his way to the 1978 title, has been a more ruthless champion.
The barrel-chested ‘Stanimal’ was powerless as Nadal turned the final into an exhibition of his clay court supremacy – taking his French Open record to an eye-watering 79-2. As a weary Wawrinka sliced a volley into the net on match point Nadal collapsed on his back on the baseline.
Wawrinka looked tentative and heavy-legged although he did have a glimmer in the third game when Nadal was forced to save a break point.
Nadal failed to convert any of the four break points he had in the following game, but drew first blood the next time an opportunity arose to take a 4-2 lead. Then he switched on the afterburners. A matter of minutes later Wawrinka wafted a forehand long to hand Nadal a second break of serve and the opening set.
Wawrinka was flat, striking not a single winner off his glorious single-handed backhand in the first set, and with less than an hour on the clock his task already looked forlorn.
Nadal was given a time violation warning at the start of the second, but Wawrinka could not halt his charge as the Spaniard bounded into a 3-0 lead in the second having won seven games in a row.
Wawrinka could not lay a glove on Nadal and his frustration boiled over as the Spaniard closed in on a two-set lead, destroying his racket frame after a missed forehand.
After Nadal sealed the second set both players left the court while court staff watered down the red dust. Nothing could extinguish Nadal’s fire though and he surged two breaks ahead in the third set despite the best efforts of Wawrinka to try and extend the contest.
Statfacts
Career Grand Slams: French Open (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017); Wimbledon (2008, 2010); Australian Open (2009); US Open (2010, 2013).
Career highlights
Nadal won his 15th Grand Slam, three away from the men’s record held by Roger Federer (18)
Became the first player in the Open Era to lift 10 titles at a Grand Slam tournament
He took his record at Roland Garros to 79-2 after winning his 10th straight final
The Spaniard bagged his 53rd clay court title
Won his 10th titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Paris this year
