Story highlights
Nadal wins 6-2 6-3 6-1
Joins Margaret Court as only players to win 10 titles at one major
Nadal ends three-year grand slam drought
Moves into sole possession of second place in men's majors
Even Stan Wawrinka had to smile before Sunday’s French Open final when the stadium announcer listed year-by-year each of the nine previous titles Rafael Nadal had won at Roland Garros.
Another one can now be added to the list – and it is one for the ages – after the Spaniard crushed Wawrinka 6-2 6-3 6-1 to become the first man to win the same grand slam on 10 occasions.
The ‘Decima.’
Indeed it is a feat that may never be duplicated.
He collapsed to the court when Wawrinka sent a backhand into the net and seconds later an emotional Nadal sunk his head into his towel while in his chair. He was soon cradling the famous trophy like a baby.
“It’s truly incredible,” Nadal told the crowd. “In this final, to win the Decima is very, very special. I’m really emotional.
“The feeling I have here is impossible to describe. Difficult to compare to other places. For me the nerves, the adrenaline I feel when I play on this court is impossible to compare to another feeling. It’s the most important event in my career without a doubt.”