This French Open was all about Rafa Nadal.
Even the new women’s French Open champion, 19-year-old Iga Swiatek, is one of his fans.
Matching Roger Federer’s record 20 Grand Slam singles titles was pretty special in a year filled with the deadly coronavirus. The fact that possibly the sweetest victory of his long career came against longtime rival Novak Djokovic made it even more special.
Djokovic still stands three Grand Slam singles titles shy of the record number of 20. Only now, Novak has to chase both Nadal and Federer for the all-time record.
NOVAK DIDN’T LOOK HIMSELF
Of course, Djokovic didn’t look himself in his 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 loss to Nadal on Sunday on the red clay of Roland Garros, especially in the first set and maybe the second one, too.
Nadal obviously had something to do with that. Rafa played one of his best Grand Slam matches ever. He humbled Djokovic in much the same way he has totally dominated Federer in a couple of Grand Slam finals.
Nadal would not surrender even a point without a fight as he wore down the Serbian Wonder. Nadal actually out-moved and out-hit Djokovic. Nadal always seemed to be one move ahead of Djokovic, even during Novak’s usually dominant drop-shot attack.
DJOKOVIC’S DROP-SHOT ATTACK APPEARED TO SET RAFA ON FIRE
Djokovic came out drop-shotting as he attempted to frustrate the Spanish left-hander one more time with his deft drop shots. But Djokovic’s early strategy backfired as the strategy appeared to put even more fire into Nadal’s veins.
Nadal was ready for the drop shots this time, moving in quickly to repeatedly pass Djokovic down the backhand line or executing perfect slice backhands almost directly cross-court that Djokovic had no chance to return.
Obviously Nadal has been seriously practicing on his drop-shot returns. He also seemed to concentrate on hitting baseline shots with more air than usual, making them drop down closer to the baseline. He also used a heavily sliced backhand on balls near the surface line that hugged the net and stayed low, causing Djokovic to get low and to hit up on balls just off the clay surface.
But at any time, at the slightest opening, Nadal turned his forehands and backhands into weapons of power.
NADAL’S TOUGHEST FINAL BECAME ONE OF HIS EASIEST
Yes, this was supposed to be Nadal’s toughest French Open to win, due to the cooler weather this time of the year in Paris and slower court conditions. And there also was the added pressure of going for Grand Slam title No. 20.
But the heavy court conditions seemed to be in Rafa’s favor, not Novak’s. And Nadal handled the pressure situation as if it was a walk in the park..
Nadal repeatedly pounded outright winners off both wings as Djokovic could only watch.
THE CLOSED ROOF MIGHT HAVE EVEN HELPED RAFA
Rain was in the forecast, so the new Philippe Chatrier Stadium roof was closed this time for its first men’s final. That solved the problem of heavy shadows that seemed to frustrate Sofia Kenin a day earlier in her one-sided women’s final loss to Swiatek.
Everything was perfectly aligned for Rafa on this day.
Even usual Djokovic fan John McEnroe was chatting from Los Angeles on the TV telecast that “Rafa is in the zone.” In the second set, McEnroe referred to the match as not even being competitive at the time.
Johnny Mac was simply telling it like it was. Nadal simply was the far superior player on this day.
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James Beck has been the long-time tennis columnist for the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier newspaper. He can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.
