Tennis: Nadal beats Thiem to win eleventh French Open title

June 13, 2018 On Sunday at the stadium in Paris, the "King of " Rafael Nadal defeated Austrian tennis player  6–4 6–3 6–2 to claim his eleventh French Open title at the Philippe-Chatrier Court. Defending champion Nadal became the second athlete to win a particular event on eleven occasions, the first being  at the Australian Open.

24-year-old Dominic Thiem was playing his first ever Grand Slam final while Nadal, who won his first French Open title in 2005 at the age of nineteen, had never lost a French Open final.

Thiem won the toss, choosing to receive the service. In the set lasting just over the one-hour mark, Thiem served two aces. The Austrian missed all four chances to win any of the, while Nadal won three out of four net points. Thiem committed three double faults in the set. In the second set, Thiem served three aces and committed just one double fault. Nadal won all but one net points in the second set lasting for 53 minutes. In the last set, Nadal Thiem's serve twice, and won all five net points in the set. The match lasted for two hours and 42 minutes.

Just like last year, Nadal did not drop a single set in the final. Last year, Nadal defeated Stan Wawrinka 6–2 6–3 6–1 in the final to win his tenth French Open. Nadal extended his record at the French Open to 86–2, losing just two matches in fourteen seasons on the French soil.

After the match, Nadal said, "It's amazing, I can't describe my feelings because it's not even a dream to win here eleven times. It's impossible to think something like this." Former French Open winner, the first player to win the French Open in the open era, presented the awards. Rosewall said, "Words can't express what we feel for Rafa's game and what he's done for the game on a worldwide basis".

With this victory, Nadal now has seventeen Grand Slam titles. Only Roger Federer has three more titles than the Spaniard. Nadal is the only athlete to win a particular Grand Slam on eleven occasions in the open era.

      MEN'S SINGLES FINAL 61' 53' 48'  (1) Rafael NADAL ESP 6 6 6  (7) ''' Dominic THIEM AUT 4 3 2