There is only one name synonymous with Roland Garros—Rafael Nadal. Time after time, the Spaniard has shown the tennis world that he is the undisputed clay court king, savoring some of the most exciting finals over the years.
With 14 Roland Garros titles under his name, Nadal has etched his legacy at the French Open – one that looks like it will never be broken.
As fans anxiously await his return this year and start rallying for Roland Garros final tickets, we look at five of the Spaniard’s most unforgettable finals.
If you are looking at making it to the 2024 French Open, the chances are that it might be the last professional tournament in which the world will see Rafa in action.
Rafael Nadal vs Mariano Puerta (2005)
Nothing is more memorable for players than their first Grand Slam title; however, most don’t go on to win an additional 21.
Way back in 2005, fans with Roland Garros final tickets were surprised when a 19-year-old made it to his first major final as the fourth-seeded player.
His flashy dressing style and unwavering spirit had already made him a fan favorite by then.
The Spaniard would play the unseeded Mariano Puerta in the final, whom Nadal had beaten in their two previous ATP meetings on clay.
And Nadal did it again, fighting back after losing the first set to beat the Argentine in four sets to win his first Roland Garros title.
It was the start of something special.
Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer (2008)
In 2006 and 2007, Nadal went on to retain the French Open that he won in 2005, defeating Roger Federer in the two finals.
But his most impressive title defense, which brought the tennis world together, was the 2008 final.
In 2008, the Mallorcan dropped only 37 games en route to his fourth Roland Garros final, where he would again play top seed Federer.
Federer was the reigning Wimbledon and US Open champion then and had taken a set off Nadal in the previous two Roland-Garros finals against the Spaniard. Things were getting tight for the Spaniard.
This time was much more straightforward for Nadal, as he destroyed Federer in a 6-1 6-3 6-0 victory. He became the first person to bagel the Swiss since Byron Black in 1999.
Rafael Nadal vs Robin Soderling (2010)
In 2009, Nadal’s dominance came to an end when he had to exit in the fourth round at the hands of Robin Soderling.
Soderling was eventually beaten in the final by Federer, but the Swede returned to the final a year later with Nadal as his opponent.
And Nadal avenged Soderling, beating the fifth seed in straight sets to win his fifth Roland-Garros title.
This was the second time that Nadal had won the Roland-Garros title without dropping a set, and as a result, he began his second reign as world No.1.
Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic (2012)
To win seven Roland Garros titles, Nadal looked to surpass Bjorn Borg and equal record holder Chris Evert.
But the final saw Nadal face Novak Djokovic, who had also reached his first-ever Roland Garros final by defeating Roger Federer in the semifinals.
Djokovic had won the last three consecutive Grand Slam titles and was looking to become the first man since Rod Laver to hold all four simultaneously (something he later achieved in 2016).
Nadal had won every set at the tournament and continued this record after claiming the opening two sets against Djokovic in the final.
Despite this, Djokovic hit back and won eight games in a row to claim the third set and go up a break in the fourth.
At this point, rain-affected play delayed the final finish until Monday afternoon, with Nadal regrouping to win a record seventh Roland-Garros title.
Rafael Nadal vs Stan Wawrinka (2017)
Since his era of dominance, Nadal has been left with a three-year drought without a Grand Slam title—quite uncharacteristic from Nadal’s point of view.
But in 2017 Nadal returned in style, making it another Roland Garros final.
During this time, the Spaniard’s fans were also feeling down, with the maestro struggling to go the full distance, but the 2017 final closed all of the discussions.
The fans were in full swing at the center court, with Roland Garros’ final tickets to witness another title race.
And Nadal was in much more dominant form than in 2015 and 2016, cruising to the final without dropping a set.
In the final, Nadal would play 2015 Roland-Garros winner Stan Wawrinka, who had beaten the Spaniard in their only previous meeting in a Grand Slam final (Australian Open 2014).
However, this was a much more one-sided affair in Nadal’s favor, as he beat the Swiss 6-2 6-3 6-1.
This victory was called Decima’,’ and Nadal won his tenth title at Roland-Garros, the Monte Carlo Masters, and the Barcelona Open this year.
Nadal’s Biggest Competitors?
While the Spaniard has openly announced that he will make it to the French Open, the road to the finals might not be easy, with intense competition among the top-seeded players.
Here are two key players that would be the biggest threats to the King in Clay
Novak Djokovic
It goes without saying that at any tournament and at any stage of his career, Novak Djokovic has always been and will always be one of the biggest threats to Rafael Nadal.
While Nadal has the head-to-head lead against Djokovic on clay, the Serbian has the accolade of being the only player to defeat Nadal twice at Roland Garros.
Carlos Alcaraz
From someone with ample history and titles, the focus will be on a newcomer to the courtroom: Carlos Alcaraz.
The defending Wimbledon winner made only his third prominent draw appearance at the tournament last year. He impressed with a semifinal run that ended in a cramp-affected defeat to Djokovic.
The 20-year-old has become a constant threat at every tournament he plays in and is certainly not shy of the big occasion, leaving him as a significant threat at Roland Garros in 2024.