On the other hand, these are part of Nadal's extraordinary stats at Roland Garros: he has a record of 112 matches won and only 3 lost. Another 14-0 record in finals; in these finals, he has lost only six sets. And of these fourteen titles won, four have been won without dropping a set in the entire tournament. He has never played a five-set final.

But how did he win this championship, and especially this edition, when he apparently had the odds stacked against him? How did he win at this age (remember that part of the press and some fans have already retired him for years), with many doubts about his physical condition (an injured feet) and without a great previous preparation or title in the clay court season? Why did he beat so easily the Norwegian Casper Ruud, number 8 in the world ranking and one of the best players on the surface today (he has 8 ATP titles, all of them achieved playing on clay)? How does he stay in the game after lost sets and bad performances, like he did when he played against Felix Auger-Aliassime, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev? What makes him "almost" unbeatable in five sets on clay?

First of all, and it is obvious that he wins because he dominates the clay to the maximum. Nadal has grown up and played all his life on this type of surface, so it is natural and easy for him to move on it. Clay courts are slow courts, perfect for tennis players who play at the back of the court and for those with admirable athletic characteristics. On slow courts, the bounces of the ball tend to be higher, so the player has more time to get to the ball and think about his shot and stroke. They are courts where rallies are longer and where the serve does not play such an important role in the game.

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Nadal, on the other hand, feels very comfortable playing on the baseline and defending. He has an admirable physical capacity that allows him to move from side to side of the court and reach unimaginable balls. He also has a very strong forehand and backhand that allows him to hit powerful winners from the back of the court. Nadal's shots are powerful and tend to hit the clay with a high bounce and a lot of spin. This shot is usually indefensible to opponents, at the very least, uncomfortable so it is often unsettled.

Being a slow court, there are more rallies and, therefore, the points are longer. Nadal enjoys and takes advantage of this to deploy his game of rallies and big rallies. He dominates it to perfection to the point of frustrating, dominating and tiring his rivals. It is well known that his game strategy consists of favoring the long rally game, hitting the ball with force looking to dislocate or make the opponent miss to get the winning point.

Fuente

This long rally game that Nadal manages to apply in his matches, in addition to being based on the power of his strokes and his physical capacity, also relies on his patience and persistence. He does not usually rush to finish quick games. It does not bother him to lengthen the games, rather it favors him and that is what he is looking for with his game. He also has patience and mental strength to resist the onslaught of his opponents when they are superior.

He does not lose his temperament so easily and this allows him to get back into the game quickly. That is why he prefers five-set matches, as he has more time to extend the games and correct his mistakes. It should also be noted that over time Nadal has improved his serve, his net game and his volley.

Finally, Nadal has what no one else has at Roland Garros: extraordinary numbers and winning experience in this tournament. That's why, even before he enters the courts, he has the edge over his rivals. His stats are frightening to anyone who faces him, and many lack the mental fortitude to fight against that. Only talented players like Djokovic, who is much stronger mentally and physically than the Spaniard, can beat him here, on this surface and in this championship.

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In short, Nadal is the best clay court player in history. His titles on this surface certify it. He may not be the player who wins the most tennis titles (this category will be taken by Djokovic, for being younger and a better player on fast surfaces), but he has written the page of history as the most winning tennis player and the "almost" unbeatable on slow courts so far.

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We can only wonder if the Spaniard will be able to win his 15th French Open title, or if he will win other titles to add to his 92 trophies won. We can only hope that he will continue playing and giving all his fans the thrill and amazing plays he can only do.

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