Roland Garros/French Open 2019 Men's Singles Champion:
Rafael Nadal
Photo courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr Page - Rafael Nadal: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/5756335239
Roland Garros/French Open
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - Roland Garros 2008: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/2548469251/in/photolist-4Tcz82-6tZnxV-87P6sX-ey7ZS4-4Th8wE-eiptGP-6uaRCZ-87vLZp-86G6Ka-ey9ecr-c7XVQu-nCzATg-eBzLQm-nCAVGe-nWRDSg-nT31do-dGmT28-nCzje4-nCzR2q-nT2Xd5-nV4Xqn-nT2ASf-eZKnLF-6urJ2w-nUM8dD-nCzJ2p-nUWDeU-caonqS-nCzGrQ-nUWRpA-nCzE6t-ewJaxS-ekA48R-nWRBFT-nULZA4-nCAKKF-nUWLLs-9T16gt-nT2zmu-nCALjX-ezweD2-9T15Lr-nULZgB-ewEXSc-nUMjfi-ewJ9fS-6qwFaz-ezzoMd-9LRAp8-ewJ9S1
Still amazed at what an unbelievable feat yesterday's win at the French Open final was for Rafael Nadal.
This was his 18th overall Grand Slam championship, and his 12th French Open title, specifically. This gives him the unique status as the most dominant player on any given surface in history. Nobody seems capable of truly besting Nadal on clay in any lasting manner. On occasion, he loses clay court matches. Federer beat him on clay a couple of times, although never at Rolland Garros. Djokovic has beaten him on clay, including one of his two career losses on the terre battue of the French Open. Thiem has defeated him as well, although like Federer, never on clay.
There have been other French Open champions since Nadal began his dominance in 2005. Federer won it in 2009. Wawrinka won it in 2015. Djokovic won it in 2016. And many have crowned Thiem as the heir apparent to Nadal's clay court dominance in the not so distant future.
Yet, for now, Nadal continues to dominate. He first won this tournament as a 19-year old, looking very much like a kid. He is now a full grown man, at the tail end of his career. But he is still winning. He cast aside Federer and Thiem again, and hoisted La Coupe des Mousquetaires for a truly incredible, breathtaking 12th time yesterday.
Just think of that. All of the hard work, the obstacles, the physicality. Overcoming injuries and adverse weather and incredibly tough challenges from talented opponents. And he keeps finding ways to win here, more consistently than any other player in tennis history has on any other surface.
Before, I have stated that it feels like a privilege to watch the "Big Three" of tennis, who are still dominating tennis, and pretty much have ever since Roger Federer's emergence to the number one ranking for the first time very early in 2004, shortly after winning what was then his second career Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
Now, one of these three men have won the last 10 Grand Slams, and each of them are now over 30 years old. I believe that this is the first time that this has happened, and it is hard not only to not be impressed, but to be downright awed by this display. For the time being, they still rank as the top three men in men's tennis.
Consider this rather incredible fact: other than Stan Wawrinka, there is no other active men's tennis player outside of the "Big Three" who actually managed to win a Grand Slam title. Not one. Also, not one active men's tennis player outside of the "Big Three" knows what it feels like to have reached the number one ranking in the world. Other than the recently retired Andy Murray, in fact, not one man outside of the "Big Three" has reached the number one ranking, even briefly, since Federer first took the top spot early in 2004. And that speaks volumes about just how tough these guys made it for everybody else. They have been so dominant, that they have pitched a virtual shutout in these key, very telling categories.
Consider this rather incredible fact: other than Stan Wawrinka, there is no other active men's tennis player outside of the "Big Three" who actually managed to win a Grand Slam title. Not one. Also, not one active men's tennis player outside of the "Big Three" knows what it feels like to have reached the number one ranking in the world. Other than the recently retired Andy Murray, in fact, not one man outside of the "Big Three" has reached the number one ranking, even briefly, since Federer first took the top spot early in 2004. And that speaks volumes about just how tough these guys made it for everybody else. They have been so dominant, that they have pitched a virtual shutout in these key, very telling categories.
What an era!
Here was an article on Nadal's French Open dominance that I thought worth sharing:
RAFAEL NADAL TOPS DOMINIC THIEM FOR 12TH FRENCH OPEN, 18TH GRAND SLAM In a rematch of the 2018 Roland Garros final, the Spaniard defeated the Austrian in four sets. By Matt Fitzgerald June 09, 2019
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2019/06/rafael-rafa-nadal-dominic-thiem-roland-garros-final-french-open-paris/82459/
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