VICTORY over Robin Soderling on the clay of Roland Garros on Sunday earned Rafael Nadal three new labels: French Open champion, world No. 1 and The Most Emotional Man in Tennis.
Soon after defeating the Swede 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 to win his fifth French Open, and his seventh grand slam trophy, the Spaniard sat down and sobbed uncontrollably into his towel, his body heaving for a full minute, and not even Roger Federer, a man who likes to let it all out, has cried like that after winning or losing a grand slam final.
Nadal had pink eyes, he had red clay smeared all over his shirt and shorts, and he was about as happy as he has ever been on a tennis court, after a performance that contained some superb defensive tennis, when he was regularly playing so far back behind the baseline that he was almost sitting on Beyonce's lap in the presidential box.
This was Nadal showing that no one beats him twice at Roland Garros, by fending off the power and the menace of Soderling's slapped forehand. Last season, Nadal experienced his only ever defeat in Paris when he lost to Soderling in the fourth round, at a time when he was concerned about the pain in his knees and about his parents' divorce, but this time he won in straight sets, and now only Bjorn Borg has more French Open titles - only one ahead on six.
For the second year in a row, Soderling had beaten Federer or Nadal on the way to reaching the final in Paris, only to then lose to the other one.
When Andy Murray broke down after this year's Australian Open final, he came out with a funny line - ''I can cry like Roger, it's a pity I can't play like him'' - but this was the occasion that Nadal, after regaining La Coupe des Mousquetaires without dropping a set all fortnight, set a new standard for post-match emoting.
The first time Nadal flung himself on to the dirt, his bottom lip stayed firm, but after falling on to the clay for a second time, he could not stop himself from crying, and there were many more tears to come when he was back on his chair. Still, he had regained control of his emotions by the time he stood beneath the VIP box and shook Queen Sofia of Spain's hand, and she then leant down to give him a kiss.
''It was very emotional - I was crying out of relief and out of joy, too,'' said Nadal, who is guaranteed to be the world No. 1 throughout this summer's grass-court season, on the Queen's Club lawns this week and then at Wimbledon, and beyond. If Nadal had lost this final, Federer would have remained No. 1.
For the second time, Nadal has won a slam without conceding a set, something he also achieved here a couple of years ago. By winning a seventh slam, he put himself level with John McEnroe and Mats Wilander.
When Nadal made his first appearance of the European claycourt season, in Monte Carlo, he had not won a title for almost a year, and some were wondering whether we had seen the best of him. He won the title in Monte Carlo, and then he won in Rome, then in Madrid, and now he has won in Paris.
Nadal, who likes to bite the trophies he wins, was happily chewing on La Coupe des Mousquetaires on Sunday night.
Soon after defeating the Swede 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 to win his fifth French Open, and his seventh grand slam trophy, the Spaniard sat down and sobbed uncontrollably into his towel, his body heaving for a full minute, and not even Roger Federer, a man who likes to let it all out, has cried like that after winning or losing a grand slam final.
Nadal had pink eyes, he had red clay smeared all over his shirt and shorts, and he was about as happy as he has ever been on a tennis court, after a performance that contained some superb defensive tennis, when he was regularly playing so far back behind the baseline that he was almost sitting on Beyonce's lap in the presidential box.
This was Nadal showing that no one beats him twice at Roland Garros, by fending off the power and the menace of Soderling's slapped forehand. Last season, Nadal experienced his only ever defeat in Paris when he lost to Soderling in the fourth round, at a time when he was concerned about the pain in his knees and about his parents' divorce, but this time he won in straight sets, and now only Bjorn Borg has more French Open titles - only one ahead on six.
For the second year in a row, Soderling had beaten Federer or Nadal on the way to reaching the final in Paris, only to then lose to the other one.
When Andy Murray broke down after this year's Australian Open final, he came out with a funny line - ''I can cry like Roger, it's a pity I can't play like him'' - but this was the occasion that Nadal, after regaining La Coupe des Mousquetaires without dropping a set all fortnight, set a new standard for post-match emoting.
The first time Nadal flung himself on to the dirt, his bottom lip stayed firm, but after falling on to the clay for a second time, he could not stop himself from crying, and there were many more tears to come when he was back on his chair. Still, he had regained control of his emotions by the time he stood beneath the VIP box and shook Queen Sofia of Spain's hand, and she then leant down to give him a kiss.
''It was very emotional - I was crying out of relief and out of joy, too,'' said Nadal, who is guaranteed to be the world No. 1 throughout this summer's grass-court season, on the Queen's Club lawns this week and then at Wimbledon, and beyond. If Nadal had lost this final, Federer would have remained No. 1.
For the second time, Nadal has won a slam without conceding a set, something he also achieved here a couple of years ago. By winning a seventh slam, he put himself level with John McEnroe and Mats Wilander.
When Nadal made his first appearance of the European claycourt season, in Monte Carlo, he had not won a title for almost a year, and some were wondering whether we had seen the best of him. He won the title in Monte Carlo, and then he won in Rome, then in Madrid, and now he has won in Paris.
Nadal, who likes to bite the trophies he wins, was happily chewing on La Coupe des Mousquetaires on Sunday night.
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