Rafael Nadal calls the French Open his favorite event, and that certainly makes sense: His 22 Grand Slam singles titles include a record 14 at Roland Garros, more than anyone in tennis history has won at any major tournament.
Nadal, who turns 38 on June 3, won the championship on the red clay courts in Paris in 2005, the first time he ever entered the draw.
His most recent trophy there arrived in 2022 at age 36. Nadal missed the tournament a year ago because of a hip injury that required surgery.
Ahead of the 2024 French Open, which starts Sunday, here is a look at each of Nadal's triumphs at Roland Garros, starting with the first:
No. 1: 2005
Final: Beat Mariano Puerta 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-1, 7-5
What He Did: Two days after turning 19, Nadal became the first man to win the French Open in his debut since Mats Wilander in 1982.
What He Said: “When you reach your goal, it’s an extraordinary moment. For the first time, I cried after winning a match.”
No. 2: 2006
Final: Beat Roger Federer 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (4)
What He Did: Ended Federer's 27-match Grand Slam winning streak and handed him his first loss in a major final (Federer had been 7-0).
What He Said: “A bit of luck, a bit of tennis, a bit of mental attitude.”
No. 3: 2007
Final: Beat Federer 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
What He Did: Saved 16 of 17 break points and became only the second man since 1914 (Bjorn Borg is the other) with three consecutive French Open trophies.
What He Said: “I am very happy, but I am really sad for Roger. He is a friend and I know he is a great champion, whether he wins or loses.”
No. 4: 2008
Final: Beat Federer 6-1, 6-3, 6-0
What He Did: The most lopsided French Open men's final since 1977 allowed Nadal to become the first man since Borg to win the event without dropping a set.
What He Said: “I am humble, but the numbers are the numbers.”
No. 5: 2010
Final: Beat Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-2, 6-4
What He Did: Again didn't drop a set, and capped it off by defeating Soderling, the man responsible for Nadal's first loss at the French Open, in the fourth round a year earlier.
What He Said: “I lost last year because I was not well-prepared, and I had very low morale last year, as well. But this time, I’m back."
No. 6: 2011
Final: Beat Federer 7-5, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-1.
What He Did: Improved to 4-0 against Federer in French Open finals and equaled Bjorn Borg's men's record of six titles in Paris.
What He Said: "If I win this tournament, I know my year is fantastic.”
No. 7: 2012
Final: Beat Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5
What He Did: Won a rain-interrupted, two-day title match to break Borg's record and also prevent Djokovic from winning a fourth consecutive major championship.
What He Said: "My mental part, probably, on clay is one of the most important things.”
No. 8: 2013
Final: Beat David Ferrer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3
What He Did: Came back from an injured left knee that sidelined him more than six months to complete his second “four-peat” in Paris.
What He Said: “I never like to compare years, but it’s true that this year means something very special for me.”
No. 9: 2014
Final: Beat Djokovic 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4
What He Did: Won a record fifth French Open in a row and pulled even with Pete Sampras at 14 career Grand Slam titles.
What He Said: “For me, playing here in Roland Garros is just unforgettable, forever.”
No. 10: 2017
Final: Beat Stan Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1
What He Did: Won every set and dropped just 35 games in the tournament, dominating once again after a quarterfinal loss to Djokovic in 2015 and an injury withdrawal before the third round in 2016.
What He Said: “A perfect Roland Garros for me."
No. 11: 2018
Final: Beat Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-3, 6-2
What He Did: Reversed the result against Thiem, the only man to beat Nadal on clay in 2017 or 2018 — and Thiem did it twice.
What He Said: “If you tell me seven, eight years ago, that I will be here ... having this trophy with me again, I will tell you that is something almost impossible. But here we are.”
No. 12: 2019
Final: Beat Thiem 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1
What He Did: Grabbed 12 of the last 14 games to become the first tennis player to win any Grand Slam tournament a dozen times.
What He Said: “Here I am, at the age of 33, enjoying, playing good tennis, and let’s see for how long I am able to manage and to continue this.”
No. 13: 2020
Final: Beat Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5
What He Did: Pulled even with Federer at 20 Grand Slam titles, then the record for a man. Won the French Open without dropping a set for the fourth time.
What He Said: “In terms of these records, of course I care."
No. 14: 2022
Final: Beat Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0
What He Did: Improved to 14-0 in French Open finals and collected Grand Slam title No. 22 while getting nerve-dulling injections in his painful left foot.
What He Said: “It’s obvious that with the circumstances that I am playing (in), I can’t — and I don’t want to — keep going.”
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Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press
