Rafael Nadal has a sixy time in France
Winning any trophy is a special time for any sportsman or woman but when it comes to winning one for a sixth time, it is clear that there is a special affinity between the event and the player. This was the case for Rafa Nadal when he once again triumphed in France, defeating Roger Federer in the final of the French Open by 7-5, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-1. A spirited come-back by Federer in the third set gave tennis fans hope that this final may become another epic five-set long running game between the two but Nadal regrouped and absolutely destroyed his opponent in the fourth set.
Nadal hits double figures
Not only was this Nadal’s sixth win in France, it was also his 10th major title of his career. This indicates that he feels at home on the clay surface of the French Open, after all, it accounts for over half of his haul but 10 titles is a great achievement. It also sees Nadal close in on the 16 titles held by Federer and this must be in the back of the mind for the Spaniard. With some tennis analysts thinking that Federer has definitely reached and slipped beyond his peak, Nadal knows that a concerted effort can bring him to parity with his great rival.
Will the two clash at Wimbledon?
One thing that many bookmakers and punters will be looking forward to is another final reunion between Federer and Nadal at the forthcoming Wimbledon tournament. The form of Djokovic has been a spoke in the wheels of this long running partnership but the fact that the Swiss star managed to overcome Djokovic in the semi-final perhaps indicates that there is hope for another epic final between these two huge stars.
There will also be people pinning their hopes of British star Andy Murray, no doubt desperate for him to finally bag a Grand Slam tournament and also end the wait for a British winner at Wimbledon. There is a long standing joke that Murray is British when he wins and Scottish when he loses but there is no doubt that the entire nation will be behind him if he can finally make 2011 his year.
The tennis tour moves pretty quickly so there won’t be a lot of time for Rafael Nadal to bask in the glory of his sixth French Open title but you can bet he’ll have a well-earned break today. Tomorrow, it will probably be back to business planning his next assault in a seemingly never ending conquest to rule the world of tennis!