Nadal wins French Open, equals Borg's record
Afternoon all. So the ancien regime has been restored in Paris. For the first time since the 2009 Australian Open, and for just the second time since that Wimbledon encounter in 2008, it's Roger versus Rafa in a grand slam final.
Few at Roland Garros would have predicted this scenario a fortnight ago, when one bookmaker offered odds of 18-1 on Federer prevailing. The 29-year-old, down to No3 in the world and without a major final appearance in 16 months, was the half-forgotten man. All the talk was of Nadal and Novak Djokovic's tussle for the No1 spot and whether Nadal could recover from back-to-back defeats to the Serb in the Madrid and Rome finals.
But then Federer went and broke Djokovic's 43-match, six-month stranglehold on the men's game in a remarkable semi-final on Friday.
"I wasn't lying on the beach,' said Federer after that match. "I continue to make sacrifices and, when it really counts, I'm at the big occasion. I have another opportunity here to beat Rafa and take another French Open title. I'm aware that I've got to play some extraordinary tennis, but I never stopped believing.
Top seed Nadal moved alongside Bjorn Borg, who won six titles at Roland Garros between 1974 and 1981. Federer has not beaten Nadal in five meetings at the event, with the Spaniard winning finals from 2006-2008 and getting the better off Federer in a 2005 semifinal.
Nadal’s victory saved his world number one ranking and keeps Novak Djokovic from seizing the top honour for a first time. Federer remains third.
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