Another win for Rafael Nadal to clinch his 5th consecutive title last Sunday, June 8, at Roland Garros in Paris, beating Novak Djokovic 3-6 7-5 6-2 6-4 match on a red clay at the French Open 2014.
Nadal perhaps can be considered the best tennis player ever, being the only player to date to win nine French Open championships. Apart from that, his latest achievement brought him to 14th Grand Slam title overall, tying with Pete Sampras in the second slot behind Roger Federer who has 17 in his current record.
The 28-year-old Nadal has proven his being a flexible player by prevailing in Wimbledon, US Open, and Australian Open where the grounds are either grass or hard courts. However, the 66-67 win-loss record in his career matches at the French Open, playing in a red clay ground, proved that he deserved the moniker "King of Clay". It only means there is always an advantage whenever Nadal set his foot on a clay court.
It was not the first time that the two renowned tennis players faced in the court, or should we say not the first time Nadal prevented Djokovic to win the tournament. The 2012 Final and 2013 Semi-Final were those times Nadal made sure he would win the title again and again.
Perhaps the steamy weather in Paris affected Djokovic's mood, preventing him to play at his best. At 80 degrees Celsius, the 27-year-old player spit up on the court but still tried his very best to serve and return the ball to the other side of the court.
Djokovic failed to complete his Grand Slam title with the loss over Nadal.
"Sorry for him today. I think he deserves to win this tournament. I am sure he will do it in the future," said Nadal in an interview.
The six-foot-two-inch tall Djovokic seems taking the loss as learning experience instead of losing his confidence. "These kinds of big matches obviously take the best out of players, and of course it's a huge challenge. I tried to do my best. My best wasn't as the best against him in Rome a couple weeks ago. But, you know, it's how it is. Congratulations to him. He was a better player in the crucial moments. Of course, it's disappointing for me, but life goes on. It's not the first time or last time that I lost a match," he said.
