French Open 2017 | Rafael Nadal beats Stan Wawrinka to achieve “La Decima”

06/11/2017

Rafael Nadal has become the first male player in history to win 10 titles at a single Grand Slam when he beat Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 in the French Open final today. In a dominant display, Nadal had just 12 unforced errors across the three sets to go along with his 27 winners.

Confident Nadal takes first set comfortably

Both players started the match by holding their serves comfortably, with both players combined dropping just one point on their serve across the opening two games. It was the Swiss who created the first real chance when he earned the game’s first break point, but Nadal was upto the challenge. In the next game, the Spaniard earned four break points off his own, in a game that went on for 17 points, but it was Wawrinka’s turn to play spoilsport. However, in the sixth game of the set, Nadal won the break that he had been threatening for a while when Wawrinka sliced a backhand into the net. Serving to salvage something from the first set, Wawrinka struggled against Nadal’s forehand as the nine-time winner brought up his first set point of the game. Nadal needed just one as he forced Wawrinka wide and the Swiss overcooked his forehand to hand the Spaniard the advantage in the match.

Rafa secures second set as Stan loses his cool

Wawrinka started the second set with a confident forehand winner to take the score to 30-15 as Nadal was handed a time violation warning. However, the latter not only secured the game but also broke former in the very next game to take a commanding lead in the match. For the first time since the opening games of the match, both player were able to hold their serves easily as Wawrinka looked to build momentum for an onslaught on the Nadal serve. Even though he raced to a 0-30 lead, that was as good as it got for the three-time Grand Slam Champion as Nadal won four points in a row to maintain his one break lead in the second. Even though Wawrinka held his serve, he was just delaying the inevitable as he lost his cool, smashing his racquet, Nadal wrapped up the second set by a score of 6-3.

Nadal secures La Decima

Just like he had done in the second set, Nadal broke Wawrinka early to take a lead in the very first game. He went on to hold his serve to edge closer to the historic 10th title at Roland Garros. After holding his serve rather comfortably, the 32-year-old Swiss took a 30-0 lead in the next game, only to see his opponent win four of the next five points to take the game. Realizing that Wawrinka was on the ascendency, Nadal upped the ante and went another break up in the very next game that saw the Swiss miss four game points to go a second break down. From then on Wawrinka painted the picture of a defeated man as he could only manage 2 points in the next two games as Nadal became the first male player in history to achieve La Decima (10th title) at the same Slam.