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SPORTS Monday 12 June 2017

French Open more closely cropped, the

Continued from page 17 shirt has sleeves. His game?
Better.
“Last year,” Nadal said,
“On paper, when you look “was not an easy one.”
at the scores, it all seems On Sunday, the conditions
fairly easy,” Nadal said. were exactly to the liking of
“But it’s not.” a guy who grew up on the
No other man or woman island of Mallorca and still
has won 10 champion- enjoys fishing in his down
ships at the same major time. The sun was shining,
in the Open era. Along there was barely a trace
with improving to 10-0 in of cloud in the bright blue
finals at Roland Garros,
Nadal increased his haul sky and the temperature
to 15 Grand Slam trophies, was about 85 degrees (30
breaking a tie with Pete Celsius).
Sampras for second place “He puts this doubt in
in the history of men’s ten- your head when you play
nis, behind only rival Roger against him,” said Wawrin-
Federer’s 18. ka, who had been 3-0 in
It marked a stirring return Grand Slam finals, includ-
to the top for Nadal at the ing a victory over Nadal at
site he loves the most: He is the 2014 Australian Open.
79-2 at the French Open, After netting a forehand in
102-2 in all best-of-five-set the second set, Wawrinka
matches on clay. pounded his racket on his Spain’s Rafael Nadal falls as he defeats Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka during their final match of
“He’s playing the best he’s head several times. Later, the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 11, 2017 in Paris.
ever played. That’s for he spiked that piece of Nadal won 6-2, 6-3, 6-1.
sure,” said Wawrinka, who equipment, then mangled Associated Press
had won 11 matches in a it, breaking it over his knee.
row on clay. “But not only Nadal has that way of
here.” wearing down opponents.
True. Nadal leads the On this day, he was terrific.
tour with four titles and 43 One area of significant im-
match wins this season and provement for Nadal is his
will rise to No. 2 in the ATP serve. Once passable, it is
rankings Monday.
Last year in Paris, Nadal now potent. Confronted
withdrew before the third with the match’s first break
round, making the an- point, 10 minutes in, he
nouncement while wear- solved the predicament
ing a blue brace on his left this way: service winner at
wrist and resignation of his 107 mph (173 kph), ace
face. He couldn’t bring at 117 mph (189 kph), ser-
himself to watch much of vice winner at 120 mph
the rest of the 2016 French (194 kph). That would be
Open, he said, other than Wawrinka’s lone break
some doubles matches in- chance.
volving a good pal, and When the ball was in play,
the singles final.
Finally back to full strength Nadal barely missed at
in the offseason, Nadal all. His groundstrokes were
returned to work, recon- delivered with loud, long
structing his forehand and grunts, echoing in the oth-
redoubling his efforts to be erwise mostly silent Court
elite. Philippe Chatrier, filled with
“Back in November, when 15,000 or so souls too rapt
we were together, I told to speak. They did let out
him he needed to get his a burst of claps and roars
forehand back, to improve in the second set on one
a bit his serve, to put on a particularly exquisite dis-
champion’s face again,” play: Nadal sprinted to his
said Uncle Toni, gripping his left to chase Wawrinka’s
chin for emphasis, “and to cross-court backhand
become the No. 1 on clay wide of the doubles alley
again. And here, we had
the confirmation.” and whipped a forehand
Nadal is no longer the that curved around the
19-year-old who won the net post and landed near
French Open in his debut a line for a winner.
in 2005, wearing long white Even Wawrinka applaud-
pirate shorts, his flowing ed that one.
locks wrapped by a white “Nothing to say about to-
headband, his sleeveless day,” Wawrinka told Nadal
shirt revealing bulging bi- during the trophy ceremo-
ceps. Now he is 31, the ny. “You were too good.”
shorts are shorter, the hair Indeed. Good as ever.q