Rafael Nadal once again proved his dominance on clay, defeating Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 in the French Open final to earn his 13th career title at Roland Garros.
The Spaniard produced one of his finest French Open displays to stun Novak Djokovic and equal Roger Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam men ’s titles.
Nadal sealed victory after two hours 41 minutes with a kicking ace out wide on his first match point , leaving the Spaniard laughing as he fell to his knees on the court where he has enjoyed unparalleled success .
Djokovic had not lost a completed match in all of 2020, his only defeat coming in the fourth round of the United States Open when he was disqualified for striking a ball and inadvertently hitting a line umpire in the throat.
The Serb was overwhelmed by Nadal’s rapid start and produced a despondent display as a result.
Defeat also meant Djokovic, who was bidding for an 18 th Grand Slam title , lost ground on Nadal and Federer in their ongoing battle to finish with the most major wins.
Nadal skipped the U.S. Open to focus on Roland Garros, which seemed like a masterstroke on Sunday as he looked fresh, focused and so quick off the mark. Djokovic, a 17-time major singles champion with a 17-10 record in major finals, had never lost a set, 6-0, in a Grand Slam final.
“Sorry for today,” Nadal said to Djokovic on court.
“A win here means everything for me,” said Nadal , who also became the first player to win 100 singles matches at Roland Garros.
“ Honestly, I don’t think about the 20th and equaling Roger , for me it is just a Roland Garros victory.
“ I have spent most of the most important moments in my career here.
“ Just to play here is a true inspiration and the love story I have with this city and this court is unforgettable .”