Five most memorable matches of Rafael Nadal in the French Open

The Spaniard has won the Grand Slam at Roland Garros for 13 times in his career.

Rafael Nadal might be a Spaniard by birth, however, he can most certainly call the Roland Garros his second home. The World No.3 currently holds the record for the most number of wins in the French Open.

He often seems impossible to beat at the Court Philippe Chatrier. World No.1 Novak Djokovic stopped him in the semi-final of the French Open 2021, however, it does not mean that his time on the clay court is over. He is expected to be back, even more aggressively after the defeat against the Serbian.

Here are five most memorable matches of Rafael Nadal in the French Open.

5. Rafael Nadal Vs John Isner (2011)

Rafael Nadal played his most competitive game of 2011 in the opening round of the French Open against unseeded American John Isner. The tennis match which was expected to be a one sided affair, surprised many as it became an epic battle.

The Spaniard was the defending champion and was hunting for his sixth French Open title. On the other end, stood Isner who was comparatively a rookie. Nadal won the first set expectedly, but when every fan thought this would be a quick finish, Isner surprised everyone.

He claimed the second and third set after beating Nadal in both tiebreakers. Later, Nadal allowed his opponent to earn just two points in the fourth set and wrapped it up in the fifth set. The match ended with a 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 scoreline, with Nadal going through to the next round.

4. Rafael Nadal Vs Novak Djokovic (2013)

The meeting between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the semi-final of the 2013 French Open produced a classic. The game ended after the culmination of the fifth set with Nadal winning 9-7. The victory earned Nadal a spot in the final against compatriot David Ferrer.

Both Nadal and Djokovic played some truly spectacular shots in a long match. The shots were so audacious that they made fans shake their heads and smile in disbelief as to what they were witnessing.

The match reached its height in the final games as both the players played to survive. In the end, it was the Spaniard who prevailed with a scoreline of 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7, 9-7. The match reached its awaited conclusion after Novak's forehand landed long.

3. Rafael Nadal Vs Mariano Puerta (2005)

Rafael Nadal made his debut in the French Open in 2005 and in the first appearance, he made his way into the final. He defeated the then top seed Roger Federer in the semi-finals to book a berth in the final. His opponent was Mariano Puerta, who was playing his first Grand Slam final.

Puerta claimed the first set after it went into a tiebreaker. After that, Nadal won the second and third set with Puerta offering very little resistance and managing just four points from them. The Argentinian was impressive in the fifth set but Nadal sealed the deal with a 7-5 victory. The match ended 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 in favour of Nadal as he won his first Grand Slam.

2. Rafael Nadal Vs Roger Federer (2006)

Nadal came back to defend his title at the 2006 Roland Garros against the then top seed Roger Federer. The Spaniard was on a 13-match unbeaten run in the tournament and a 59-game victory streak.

Moreover, it was Federer’s eighth Grand Slam final and the first one he lost, such was Nadal’s dominance in the latter stages. Additionally, this was their seventh meeting and six of those went in favour of Nadal. However, Federer started the match in a dominant fashion and only allowed Rafa to earn one point in the first set. Nadal returned the favour in the next set and won it in the exact same fashion.

The fourth set went into a tiebreaker with Federer trying to stay in the match. However, it was a little too late, as Nadal won the tiebreaker and became a two-time champion. The final result of 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 ended Federer’s hopes of winning the title that year.

1. Rafael Nadal Vs Novak Djokovic (2014)

A rematch of the classic 2013 French Open semi-final happened the following year. This time, the stage was bigger as the two tennis stalwarts met in the final of the tournament. The three and a half hour long match saw Nadal draining Djokovic of his reserves, making the Serbian push his final serve long to win his ninth French Open title.

The match, however, did not begin as planned for Nadal. He lost the first set to his rival. However, he showed his indomitable spirit and won the remaining sets back to back to finish it off. "Playing against Novak is always a big challenge for me. Every time I beat him I have to play to my limit," said Nadal after the game.

Nadal wasn't wrong as the Serbian put up an impressive fight. He saved two break points in the first set and piled pressure on Nadal. Moreover, Djokovic became more frustrated as the match progressed for being unable to break through Rafa's defense before succumbing to the stoic Spaniard.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Twitter, Instagram and join our community on Telegram.