King of Clay Rafael Nadal wins record 14th at Roland Garros
The Hindu“ Victory belongs to the most tenacious.” — Inscription on the stadium wall over Court Philippe-Chatrier. He needed a pre-final injection to kill the tormenting pain, which made his foot feel “asleep.” No wonder Nadal said, “I’d rather have a new foot than win here.” The humble Spaniard always downplays his chances to win Grand Slam titles, despite a record 21 going into this fortnight. When Nadal took eight straight games to pull ahead 3-0 in the third set, McEnroe paid him the ultimate compliment, “He has an uncanny ability to hit the right shot at the right time — when to go deep, when to go short, when to hit an angle.” The King of Clay took 12 of the last 15 points to romp to a 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 triumph for his unfathomable 14th title at Roland Garros and 22nd overall, pulling him two ahead of Djokovic and Federer. With a devastating forehand that NBC analyst Mary Carillo calls “the biggest shot in women’s tennis,” Swiatek also boasts a 110-plus-mph first serve, a wicked kick second serve, a solid backhand, and blazing court speed. All-time great Martina Navratilova, a Tennis Channel analyst, said, “Gauff’s only advantage is her serving.” About Gauff in her first major final, former No.
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