Nadal hails 'unforgettable' triumph
Rafael Nadal described his record-setting seventh French Open triumph
as an "unforgettable" moment after the Spanish world number two defeated
Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in Monday's final.
Victory took Nadal past the six Roland Garros titles he shared with
Swedish legend Bjorn Borg and his career majors total to eleven.
"It is an honour and for me the most important tournament, the
greatest in my eyes," said Nadal.
"This is an unforgettable moment for me, there are a lot of emotions.
It was a privilege to play against one of the best players in the
world." World number one Djokovic added: "Congratulations to Rafa and
his team for another title, he is a great player. But I hope to come
back next year and do even better." For five-time major winner Djokovic,
the Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open champion, it was the end of
his dream of emulating Don Budge (1938) and Rod Laver (1962 and 1969) by
holding all the four Grand Slams at once.
The Serb, who now turns his attention to defending his Wimbledon
title in two weeks' time, said he was determined to take positives out
of reaching his first Roland Garros final. He was the first player at
this year's tournament to break the Nadal serve -- doing it seven times
in all, but was undone by his 53 unforced errors. But he admitted that
he had been disappointed when the final had been halted for a second and
last time on a rain-plagued Sunday with him having taken the third set
and standing 2-1 in the fourth with a break of serve.
"I started to lay better in the third set. I hoped to play a fifth
set. The first interruption (a set and 5-3 down in the second set)
helped me. But the second break did not," he said.
"The playing conditions were not good. But it's not anybody's fault,
and it's not the reason why I lost today.
"I reached the final for the first time here, so I wouldn't change
anything. Everything happens for a reason." AFP
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