Nadal shrugs off perfect 10 as history beckons
PARIS: Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko stunned third seed Simona Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday to win her maiden Grand Slam title and become the lowest-ranked champion in French Open history.
World number 47 Ostapenko is the first unseeded player to lift the Roland Garros title in the Open era and the first Latvian Major champion in history.
The 20-year-old is the youngest French Open winner since Iva Majoli in 1997 and the first player to win a debut tour-level title at a Slam since Gustavo Kuerten in Paris that same year.
“I am really happy. I have no words. It was my dream,” said Ostapenko, who will rocket to 12th in the rankings.
She trailed by a set and 3-0 but launched a memorable comeback with a remarkable display of fearless shotmaking.
“I was just trying to stay aggressive. A couple of games, everything turned my way. I was 3-0 down but I was fighting for every point.
“I still cannot believe it. It was my dream always. When I was a child I was watching. It’s amazing to play here. I just enjoy it so much.”
For Halep, bidding to join compatriots Ilie Nastase and Virginia Ruzici as major winners, it was a second final defeat in four years at Roland Garros.
The 25-year-old would have replaced Angelique Kerber as world number one with victory, but Halep was overpowered as Ostapenko blasted 54 winners to the Romanian’s 10.
“I am sick in the stomach with emotions but hopefully I can win this one in the future,” said Halep.
“I want to congratulate Jelena. All the credit for what you have done. Enjoy it, PARIS: Rafael Nadal insists winning a record 10th French Open title on Sunday, and his 15th career Grand Slam crown, would not be his greatest achievement.
His proudest moment, he believes, came at his lowest ebb back in 2012 and 2013 when it seemed certain that his career-long battle against knee and wrist injuries would finally be lost.
But, from a seemingly fruitless position, he then engineered one of the sport’s most remarkable seasons.
“It’s true that 10 is a beautiful number, but actually my favourite is nine,” said Nadal, the nine-time champion at Roland Garros.
“For sure if it becomes 10 it will be my favourite.”
“But the thing that I am more proud of in my career probably is 2013. It was amazing.”
Nadal missed seven months of action between 2012 and 2013 due to a left knee injury and then a stomach virus.
But when he returned, he swept to the French and US Open titles and reclaimed the world number one spot.
“I had too many problems on my knee, so I was not able to practice at all. And I finished the year being World No. 1, winning here (in Paris), winning the US Open. So that’s the thing that I be happy and keep it going because you’re like a kid.” Ostapenko set the tone immediately on a raucous Court Philippe Chatrier, disguising any nerves with an array of bruising groundstrokes to break Halep in the opening game. But the Romanian delivered a swift counter-punch, hitting back straight away on the Latvian’s serve before holding with ease for 2-1. Ostapenko harnesses power More crisp striking from Ostapenko nudged the 20-year-old ahead once more, but the errors flew off her racquet just as regularly and Halep pulled 4-3 in front. Ostapenko’s wildness betrayed her as she served to stay in the set at 4-5, netting a forehand to offer Halep set point and drilling long to gift am more proud,” said Nadal.
The 31-year-old Spaniard has coasted into a 10th French Open final, where he faces 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka on Sunday, without dropping a set.
While Wawrinka needed the best part of five hours to defeat world number one Andy Murray, Nadal brushed aside Dominic Thiem, the conqueror of Novak Djokovic in the Romanian the set. The Latvian’s mood soured further when Halep escaped from 0-40 down to begin the second set, the third seed then breaking Ostapenko to compound her frustration.
Halep consolidated with a gritty hold for 3-0 before Ostapenko fought off a trio of break points to stall her rival’s momentum and spark an incredible comeback.
The Latvian moved level on serve when Halep hooked a forehand wide and then earned another break to chalk up a fourth game on the trot. The errors crept back into her game and Halep responded for 4-4, but Ostapenko promptly broke to love to leave herself in sight of a deciding set.
She conjured up three set points with a laser forehand down the line, forcing the match to a third set with another sweetly-struck winner.
Ostapenko continued her feast or famine style but watched two break points flash by as Halep withstood a sustained assault.
Halep broke for 3-1 when Ostapenko drilled long, but the latter retrieved it the next game with a thumping return.
The Latvian stepped in to pummel a weak second serve for 15-40, with Ostapenko grabbing a huge slice of luck when a wayward backhand clipped the net and dropped just over for a 4-3 lead.
Halep, who saved match point against Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals, had no response this time and Ostapenko sealed a breathtaking triumph with another break by hammering a backhand down the line. 1st rd: bt Louisa Chirico (USA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 2nd rd: bt Monica Puig (PUR) 6-3, 6-2 3rd rd: bt Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) 6-1, 6-4 4th rd: bt Samantha Stosur (AUS x23) 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 QF: bt Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x11) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 SF: bt Timea Bacsinszky (SUI x30) 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-3 F: bt Simona Halep (ROM x3) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 straight sets. His career record at Roland Garros reads 78 wins and just two losses.
On Sunday, he will be playing in his 22nd Grand Slam final.
On his way to the title match, he has shipped just 29 games, six fewer than when he made the 2012 final and just two more than the record of 27 conceded by Bjorn Borg in his 1978 trophy season.
However, despite boasting a 15-3 head-to-head superiority over 32-year-old Wawrinka, the oldest man in the Paris final in 44 years, Nadal is wary of complacency.
“Nine here is probably difficult. If I did it, probably somebody else gonna do it, because I don’t consider myself very special,” he said. “I am not the right one to say, but to play 10 finals here is something difficult.” NADAL
Wawrinka has only beaten Nadal once on clay in six meetings.
He will be the third oldest winner of the men’s title if he succeeds against all the odds on Sunday.
“To play Rafa on clay in the French Open in a final is probably the biggest challenge you can have in tennis,” he said. “He’s the best player ever on clay. He’s going for his 10th Roland Garros, so it’s something really impressive, something tough.”
“I will have to play my best tennis. But again, I did in the past, so we will see what’s gonna happen on Sunday.”