Rafael Nadal, the king of the clay, won his 13th French Open on Sunday, defeating Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 in straight sets. With this victory, Nadal has now matched Roger Federer’s all-time record of 20 Grand Slam triumphs.
Everything about how this match played out was a surprise. First, it was thought that Nadal would be vulnerable coming into the French Open, since the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to take a six-month layoff this year. Additionally, this was the first time Nadal hadn’t won a clay tournament before playing in the French Open. Would that affect his play?