Great Spaniard becomes only the second player to win 11 titles at any Grand Slam tournament after Margaret Court, who won the Australian women’s singles title 11 times
Rafael Nadal reflects on another incredible clay court campaign – which he capped with an 11th victory at the French Open.
An imperious Rafael Nadal won a record-extending 11th French Open title by seeing off young pretender Dominic Thiem in the final.
The world No 1 sealed a 6-4 6-3 6-2 victory to take his impeccable record to 11-0 in title matches at Roland Garros and to an overall career mark of 86-2 at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament.
We will return for more tennis coverage from the ATP Tour when we head to Germany for the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, live on Sky Sports Arena from 11am on Monday, 18 June.
The 32-year-old Spaniard also secured his 17th major trophy, which moves him within three of great rival Roger Federer’s all-time record.
“It’s really incredible. I played a great match against a great player,” said Nadal. “I had a tough moment in the third set with cramps in my hand. I was very scared but that’s sport – it was very humid.
“To win 11 times here – it’s fantastic and not something I ever dreamed of.”
Nadal, playing in his 24th Grand Slam final overall, realised the resilient Thiem would provide a tough challenge after the pair stood toe-to-toe, exchanging a couple of breaks of serve during a stirring opening in stiflingly humid conditions in Paris, before the 24-year-old from Austria held serve in a marathon sixth game.
