In winning an eighth title on red shale to wrap up yet another French Open, Rafael Nadal has gone where no tennis player has been before. In Sunday’s final, he was perhaps at greater risk of being driven to distraction by a masked protester objecting to France’s gay marriage law than by co-Spaniard David Ferrer, whom he has beaten so many times as to have lost count. Incidentally, Nadal has won 59 matches against one defeat at Roland Garros.
The bounding Spaniard with a remarkably physical brand of play featuring a seemingly bottomless reservoir of energy and an array of strokes to bedazzle all-time greats was particularly more humble at winning his 12th Grand Slam title. A tender left knee had threatened his career recently even more than contemporary greats, which is why the soft-spoken native of Manacar playing his first Grand Slam since last year’s Wimbledon spoke of how lucky he considered himself to be at playing a major title once again.
When it comes to mental fortitude, there are very few in Nadal’s class. Ferrer acknowledged just that as well as soft hands at the net and a rasping forehand that could make a killing winner out of what might for others be a defensive option. “My perspectives are normal,” says a supreme athlete, now just five titles away from equalling Federer’s record haul of 17 Grand Slams. There is no reason to believe Nadal won’t get there or even farther, provided of course that his dodgy knee holds up.