Nadal Garners French Four

Rafael Nadal is brilliant. He is not a marvel. He is not a phenomenon. He is not a spectacle. Nadal is magnificent. Each season, he governs Roland Garros. His omnipresence silhouettes the red clay. If one rejects Nadal, they reject genius.

On Sunday, Nadal defeated Roger Federer 6-1, 6-3, 6-0. With his victory, Nadal scored his fourth consecutive French Open title, his twenty-eighth consecutive French Open match victory, and his third consecutive vanquishing of Federer. “After a loss like this, you don't want to play Rafa again tomorrow, that's for sure,” Federer said.

During this championship, Nadal surrendered zero sets. In the final, Nadal accrued 46 winners. He amassed eight service breaks. He committed only seven unforced errors. “When you really cannot play your game, and he can play exactly what he wants from the baseline, you end up with scores like this sometimes,” Federer said. “He hardly made unforced errors, and when he's on the attack, he's lethal.”

Nadal and Federer are not equals. Nadal wins the French Open. Federer wins everywhere else. Concerning Paris, one can excuse, obfuscate, or rationalize. However, the explanation is simple. Within Roland Garros, Nadal owns Federer.