Decoding the dominance of Rafael Nadal at French Open
Spanish ace Rafael Nadal missed out on his 14th Roland Garros title this year. World number one Novak Djokovic defeated him 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2 in the semi-finals. This was the first time Nadal lost a semi-final at Roland Garros. Notably, the 35-year-old maintains a perfect record in the finals. Here, we decode his numbers at the French Open.
Nadal won French Open on his first attempt in 2005
Nadal made his first French Open appearance in 2005. He defeated legend Roger Federer in the semi-finals. Nadal overcame Mariano Puerta in the final to clinch his maiden Grand Slam title. He became the second male player after Mats Wilander (1982) to win the French Open on his first attempt. Nadal was the first teenager to win a major title since Pete Sampras (1990).
Most titles at a single Grand Slam tournament
Over a decade after winning his maiden Grand Slam title, Nadal owns a total of 13 French Open honors. The Spaniard has won seven more Roland Garros titles than the second-placed Bjorn Borg (6). Nadal holds the record for winning most titles at a single Grand Slam tournament and on a single surface (clay). His record is unlikely to be broken in near future.
Nadal is 13-0 in the finals
Nadal has a perfect record in the finals at French Open (2005-2008, 2010-2014, 2017-2020). He has featured in 14 semi-finals from 2005 to 2021. Nadal holds the record for reaching five consecutive Roland Garros finals.
Nadal has this significant record
Nadal is the only player to be undefeated in 13 finals at a single major. Only three players are undefeated in 6+ finals at the same Slam (Borg 6-0 at French Open, Pete Sampras 7-0 at Wimbledon, and Djokovic 9-0 at Australian Open).
A look at his notable feats
Nadal has an incredible win-loss record of 105-3 at Roland Garros. He has the highest win percentage (97.2) in the tournament. He holds the record for winning 39 consecutive French Open matches. His terrific run started in 2010 and ended when he lost the quarter-finals in 2015. Nadal has won four French Open titles without losing a set (2008, 2010, 2017, and 2020).
Only two players have beaten Nadal at French Open
Nadal has only lost to Robin Soderling and Djokovic at the French Open. Soderling defeated him in the fourth round in 2009. Meanwhile, world number one, Djokovic, remains the only player to defeat Nadal twice in the tournament (quarter-finals, 2015 and semi-finals, 2021). Between 2015 and 2021, Nadal was unbeaten in as many as 35 Roland Garros matches.
