Is there any player on any surface you would feel more confident in down two sets to one at a major than Nadal on red clay? Shockingly, the big-serving John Isner put the defending champion in a deep hole in the opening round, winning tiebreakers in the second and third sets to give himself a realistic chance to pull off the shocker.
But as you would expect, Nadal raised his level. Isner would not make heavy favorite the first top seed to lose at the French Open since Stefan Edberg in 1990, as the Spaniard pulled through with a 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-4 victory.
“The way he played in the fourth and fifth set—I haven’t seen tennis like that, ever,” Isner said. “That’s why he’s No. 1 in the world, and one of the greatest ever.”
Even so, it looked like Nadal might have his work cut out for him. Djokovic arrived in Paris with a 43-match winning streak in tow. The Serbian was seeking to tie and pass John McEnroe’s record of 42 wins to start a season, and with it, earn his first French Open title. But Federer beat him in the semifinals.
Nadal only dropped one set the rest of the way, going on to beat Federer in the final.
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Final: Nadal def. Robin Soderling, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4