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AFTER EIGHT: Spain’s Rafael Nadal holds the trophy with seven inscriptions of his name after winning the French Open for the eighth time, defeating compatriot David Ferrer in three sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, in the final on Sunday. (Photo: Christophe Ena/The Associated Press)
(Source: sports.nationalpost.com)
It took five thrilling sets for Rafael Nadal to defeat Novak Djokovic at the French Open on Friday — and that was just the semi-final. Nadal will defend his title at Roland Garros after beating the 26-year-old from Serbia 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (3-7), 9-7.
Nadal is on the verge of becoming the first man to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam event.
“I really am playing better here,” he said on Thursday. “I said I needed to make a change. I was confident that I can do it, and I did.” (Photo: THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images)
It’s Rafael Nadal’s birthday today, so he received this fancy birthday cake at the French Open on Monday. Don’t eat it all yourself, Rafa. (Photo: MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images)
Tommy Robredo of Spain is specializing in comebacks: He is the first man in 86 years to win three Grand Slam matches in a row after dropping the first two sets (France’s Henri Cochet pulled that off at Wimbledon in 1927).
Robredo did it in the second round of the French Open Wednesday. He did it in the third round Friday. And then he did it in the fourth round Sunday, defeating No. 11 Nicolas Almagro 6-7 (5), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Robredo trailed 4-1 in the third set, 4-2 in the fourth and 2-0 in the fifth.
“Nobody dreams of doing such things,” said Robredo, who dropped to his knees, leaned forward and wept after winning. (Photos: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images, Michel Spingler/The Associated Press)
It’s raining at the French Open again. THE BAD NEWS: Maria Sharapova’s match has been postponed until tomorrow because of the weather. THE GOOD NEWS: This photo could be an ad for French Open umbrellas. (Photo: THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images)
Serena Williams won her opening match at the French Open, and then achieved a career breakthrough by speaking French to the crowd for the first time.
“I’m a beginner,” Williams said — referring to her French, not tennis.
Her play spoke volumes Sunday. Williams returned to the red clay that tripped her up in the first round a year ago, channeled any lingering frustration into her overpowering strokes and drubbed Anna Tatishvili 6-0, 6-1. (Photo by Petr David Josek/The Associated Press)
Rafael Nadal tops Novak Djokovic for record seventh French Open title after rain delay
Rafael Nadal won his record seventh French Open title, returning to Roland Garros on Monday to defeat Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in a match that was halted the night before because of rain. (Photos: Reuters; AFP/GettyImage)
Stosur stunned: Sara Errani said she had no words to describe her surprise at reaching the French Open final.
The player she beat, Samantha Stosur, was probably every bit as shocked.
Errani, the 21st-seeded Italian, advanced to her first Grand Slam final Thursday after overcoming a poor second set for a 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 victory over No. 6 seed Stosur.
Photos: Regis Duvignau/Reuters, Pascal Guyot AFP/Getty Images
Nadal on cruise control: A rain shower stopped play at Roland Garros for a minute or two in the middle of Rafael Nadal’s quarter-final.
Nicolas Almagro? He couldn’t do anything to slow Rafa at his favourite tournament.
Second-seeded Nadal defeated his fellow Spaniard 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-3 on Wednesday to move to the French Open semi-finals, two wins away from a record seventh title on the red clay of Paris.
Photo: Bernat Armangue/The Associated Press
Hope you’ve already had lunch: Talk about leaving it all out on the court.
After quite a point at the French Open — 38 strokes over nearly a minute — France’s Richard Gasquet vomited right there on Court Suzanne Lenglen. His opponent, Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov, collapsed with a leg cramp and crawled on his hands and knees to a line judge’s chair.
It came 1 hour, 50 minutes into their second-round match Thursday, with Dimitrov serving at 7-5, 5-4, 30-40. Gaquet hit an overhead winner to break serve en route to a 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 victory.
Gasquet blamed his intestinal distress on some fruit, then joked: “The banana is still on Suzanne Lenglen. I was really feeling bad. But he was on the ground. He was even in a worse situation than I was.
