Rafael Nadal has demolished world number one Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 in the French Open final to claim a record-equalling 20th grand slam title.
With the Spaniard’s record-improving 13th triumph at Roland Garros, world number two Nadal is now
“First of all of course congrats to Novak for another great tournament, sorry for today,” Nadal, who has now beaten Djokovic in all of their three French Open finals, said on court.
“In Australia [in the final in 2019] he killed me. We’ve played so many times, one day one wins, another day the other wins.”
Djokovic had won five grand slam finals in a row since being beaten by Stan Wawrinka at the 2016 Australian Open, but Nadal was not unsettled by a new stadium design, the roof and the lack of spectators amid the COVID-19 crisis. The 34-year-old Nadal said he was not thinking about matching Federer’s mark.
Tsitsipas: I should have trusted my instinct earlier
Tsitsipas was hoping to become the first Greek to reach a Grand Slam final and while the defeat would have stung it was a marked improvement from his last semi-final appearance in a major when he was thrashed 6-2 6-4 6-0 by Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open last year.
“Well, if I think back at the Australian Open I was still a kid, and now I’m turning more into an adult,” said Tsitsipas.
“My thinking has changed. I’ve matured. I’ve been through a lot of things. I have grown from the people around me, my relationships, people in general…
“I have, of course, more experience in my pocket than before. I’ve played matches. I’ve experienced different things. I know when something is good or not, and I can, I think, dictate that earlier.”
“He gave me a really difficult time on the court. Unfortunately towards the end of the match an injury that I had during my match in Rome came back,” said Tsitsipas.
