Thanks for the memories: Rafael Nadal’s 10 French Open triumphs (Guardian)

Rafael Nadal goes for an 11th French Open title on Sunday when he faces Dominic Thiem in the final.

AFP Sport looks at the Spaniard’s perfect 10 in Paris:

2005: bt Mariano Puerta (ARG) 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5
— At just 19, Nadal became the youngest winner of a Grand Slam title since Michael Chang won at Roland Garros in 1989 at 17. He was the first man since Mats Wilander in 1982 to win the French Open on his debut. Puerta was to later fail a drugs test and handed an eight-year ban, eventually reduced to two years.

2006: bt Roger Federer (SUI) 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6
— Nadal became the first man to beat Federer in a Slam final, ending the Swiss star’s hopes of holding all four majors at the same time. It was Nadal’s 60th win in a row on clay. Read more

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