Rafael Nadal has defeated Novak Djokovic to claim his record-setting 7th Grand Slam win at Roland Garros. Nadal claimed the French Open championship on Monday after the two men were forced to call it a day on Sunday when rain led to a crumbling clay court.

Nadal ended the tournament in four sets with a final score of  6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.

Monday’s continuation of play was met by a brief rain delay in the fourth set and the match ended on a double-fault by Djokovic.

By winning at Roland Garros Rafael Nadal has beaten Bjorn Borg’s record for French Open wins while racking up an astonishing 52-1 record. The win also breaks Novak’s three straight Grand Slam wins against Nadal.

Speaking after the match Rafael told reporters:

”This tournament is, for me, the most special tournament of the world.”

While adding:

”It was a very difficult match against the best player in the world. I lost three Grand Slam finals – Wimbledon, the U.S. Open last year, and the Australian Open this year. I’m very happy, very emotional.”

Djokovic definitely was not at the top of his game, serving four double-faults throughout the match.

The win also gave Nadal his 11th overall Grand Slam title, tying Borg and Rod Laver on the all-time list.

After the match Djokovic added:

”I’m not going back, saying it’s your fault and your fault because I lost. It’s unfortunate because I was playing better, feeling better on the court in the third set yesterday. Today, he started strong. I started slower. I was a little bit unfortunate in that first game and things turned around.”

Rafael Nadal Wins Record 7th French Open is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will have to wait until Monday to see who will claim the 2012 French Open title at Roland Garros after a rain delay left Nadal in the lead with a current score of 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 1-2.

Nadal’s win would give him a record seventh French Open title, while Djokovic could become the first man in 43 years to win four straight grand slam titles.

The French Open final was met with a 34-minute interruption in the second set as the men played under a light drizzle for most of their match.

The match was delayed after both men were forced to beat the waterlogged clay out of their shoes after almost every single point.

It was Nadal tossing a soaked ball to the chair umpire that ultimately led to the rain delay decision.

6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 1-2 The delay will mark the first time since 1973 that the match won’t end on a Tuesday. That match ended on a Tuesday when Ilie Nastase defeated Nikki Pilic.

The Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic match could head into a Tuesday playoff should intermittent rain on Monday turn to more severe weather.

In the meantime Sunday’s rain appeared to shift the momentum away from Nadal who is considered a master of clay courts. Djokovic was down two sets and 2-0 in the third but eventually turned things around as rain continued to fall.

Game play will resume on Monday morning if weather permits.

Do you think Nadal will pull off the record-setting win or will Djokovic finally end his clay court reign.
 

2012 French Open Rain Delay: Men’s Final To Resume On Monday is a post from: The Inquisitr

Maria Sharapova reclaimed the No. 1 tennis ranking on Thursday after defeating fourth-seeded Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-3, allowing her to advance into the French Open finals. Should Sharapova win her next match she will claim her first personal Grand Slam title.

Sharapova has previously won at Wimbledon in 2004, the U.S. Open in 2006 and the Australian Open in 2008.

Last year during the Australian Open final Maria Sharapova lost to Victoria Azarenka, a victory that gave Azarenka the No. 1 ranking.

Sharapova will take on Sara Errani in the finals. Errani upset Samantha Stosur in a match that ended with a final score of 7-5, 1-6, 6-3. During that match Stosur committed 48 unforced errors, 27 more than her competitor. The win was the first for Sara Errani in six matches against Stosur.

Interesting fact; Errani is the first woman to reach both the single and doubles French Open finals since Kim Clijsters in 2003. If Errani can win single and doubles titles she’ll be the first woman to do so since Mary Pierce in 2000.

What might be most impressive was the poise Errani showed during her game, her serves often fell below 80 mph and she completed no aces during the match compared to 11 for Stosur. Tennis critics have said time and time again that power players win Grand Slam tournaments, a fact Errani now has the chance to disprove.

During the 2012 French Open Errani has defeated several popular players including No. 10 ranked Angelique Kerber and No. 6 ranked Stosur, she also defeated past French open champions Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova. When the new top 10 rankings are announced Sara Errani will be included in that list.

Maria Sharapova, Sara Errani To Face Off In French Open Final is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rafael Nadal is no stranger to French Open victories, the star tennis ace has won the tournament six times and on Wednesday he edged ever closer to a seventh victory. Nadal faced off against 12th-seeded Nicolas Almagro in the grand slam tournaments quarterfinals where he pulled out a victory in straight sets.

Nadal who has won all 15 sets he has played at Roland Garros this year defeated the 12th-seeded Almagro with a final score of 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-3.

The only tennis player to ever win the French Open championships six times is Bjorn Borg and with a victory at Roland Garros he will claim his 11th Grand Slam trophy which would also tie Borg and Rod Laver for the fourth-most Grand Slam win.

Since taking on the French Open for his very first time the star tennis player has only lost once, that loss came in the fourth round of the 2009 tournament while playing against Robin Soderling.

To advanced to the French Open finals Rafael Nadal will now need to defeat either No. 4 Andy Murray or No. 6 David Ferrer, both of whom are still playing out their quarterfinal match.

The No. 2 seeded Rafael Nadal will turn to the clay court on Friday when Semifinal play begins.

With a 50-1 victory at the French Open it is hard to bet against Nadal on a clay court where he is most comfortable. Will you be cheering for Nadal as he rounds the finishing stretch for what would be a historical run at the French Open Grand Slam?

Rafael Nadal Wins Quarterfinal Match, Heads Closer To Seventh French Open Title is a post from: The Inquisitr

Federer who holds 16 major championships is now 233-35 in tennis’ four major tournaments for a .869 winning percentage, a record he pulled off after going  6-2, 7-5, 6-3.

Federer who turned 30 last August has went without a major title in the last two years and he is attempting to become the oldest tennis player to win a grand slam since Andre Agassi claimed the Australian Open in 2003 at 32-years-old.

Last year Federer made it to the French Open final at Roland Garros but ultimately fell to Rafael Nadal.

Earlier in the day Spaniard Feliciano Lopez exited his match with a side muscle injury, Lopez had lost five straight games to Florent Serra of France during the first-round match. According to Lopez he pulled the muscle while practicing on Thursday at Roland Garros.

After suffering his injury Lopez told reporters:

“In the beginning, I felt it was nothing really serious, but (the) day after, I couldn’t play almost. I tried to rest during the weekend just to try to play today, but it was impossible.”

Lopez homes to return in time for Wimbledon which starts on June 25.

Roger Federer Edges Tobias Kamke, Ties Jimmy Connors’ Open Era Wins Record is a post from: The Inquisitr