Lucky 13th

Muling ipinakita ni Rafael Nadal kung bakit siya tinaguriang King of Clay. Maraming duda na kayang idepensa ni Nadal ang kanyang French Open title ngayong taon dahil sa kakulangan ng preparasyon dahil sa Covid-19. Bukod pa rito ang wet weather condition sa France at this time of the year at ang bagong bola na gamit sa torneo, which lessens the effectiveness of his vaunted topspin.

Traditionally kasi ay during summer ginagawa ang French Open kaya mas matalbog ang bola pero dahil sa pandemic ay naurong ito sa rainy season.

Pero hindi ininda ni Nadal ang mga sinasabi ng armchair experts na challenges sa kanya sa French Open this year as he made it to the final without dropping a set.

Facing him in the title match was world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. Kumpiyansa ang kampo ni Djokovic na tatalunin ng kanilang manok si Nadal. “He (Nadal) doesn’t stand a chance against Novak,” sabi ng coach ni Djokovic na si Goran Ivanisevic.

For the first time ay ginawa ang title match ng French Open under the roof, which favored Djokovic dahil mas accomplished player ito sa indoor courts compared to Nadal.

But it was still the French Open, which Nadal won 12 times before. It was still Roland Garros where Nadal was 99-2 heading into his duel with Djokovic.

Djokovic didn’t stand a chance. Nadal bageled Djokovic in the first set, 6-0, and never looked back. He won the next two sets, 6-2, 7-5, to claim his 13th French Open title, his 20th grand slam trophy overall. Tabla na sila ngayon ng karibalna si roger Federer with 20 grand slam titles. He improved his record at the French Open to 100-2.

Ito ang ikaapat na pagkakataon na tinapos ni Nadal ang isang grand slam tournament without dropping a set, the first player to accomplish the feat.

Nadal won his 20th grand slam on his 60th grand slam tournament na sinalihan. Ibig sabihin ay nananalo siya ng isang grand slam trophy sa bawat tatlong attempts.

Maraming grandslam tournaments na hindi nasalihan si Nadal because of injury. May isang pagkakataon din na nag-withdraw siya sa French Open dahil sa wrist injury. Minsan naman ay na-injure siya right before the final of the Australian Open against Stan Wawrinka. Kung hindi dahil sa assortment of injuries na natamo niya lalo na during his peak ay malamang na lagpas 20 na ang kanyang grand slam titles.