Top 5 players Rafael Nadal dominated in French Open ft. Roger Federer, Andy Murray
Over the past 18 years, Rafael Nadal's dominance at the French Open has been second to none. The Spaniard has produced some unbelievable performances at the clay-court major, cementing his status as the greatest competitor Roland Garros has ever seen.
From veterans to prodigies, Nadal has beaten all the top tennis players at the French Open since his debut in 2005, when he beat Mariano Puerta in the final. He has since won the tournament another 13 times, thus holding the record for the most number of singles titles at any single Grand Slam (14).
Moreover, he also holds an impossible-looking record of 112 wins and only three losses at Roland Garros. Only two players have managed to defeat the 'King of Clay' at the Paris venue.
Hence, without further ado, let's take a look at the top 5 players Rafael Nadal dominated in the French Open.
5. Dominic Thiem
The 2020 US Open champion, Dominic Thiem, reached the final of the French Open twice, but was not lucky enough to lift the title at the clay-court major as he squared off against Rafael Nadal on both occasions. Thiem has been a great competitor for the Spaniard, as their overall head-to-head record is 9-6.
They have faced each other on four occasions in the Grand Slam. Thiem and Nadal met for the first time in the 2014 Roland Garros second round, where the Spaniard recorded an easy win. Later, they locked horns in the 2017 semifinals, which ended in a similar results.
The two also played each other in the 2018 and 2019 championship finals. The 2018 final was almost a recap of their previous fixtures on the red dirt while in 2019, the Austrian finally managed to win a set against Nadal at Roland Garros before eventually losing the match.
4. Stan Wawrinka
Another victim of Rafael Nadal's prowess on the red dirt is Stan Wawrinka. The pair have faced each other on two occasions at Roland Garros. In 2013, they played a three-set match where the 'King of Clay' dominated the Swiss star.
They next squared off in the 2017 championship final. Stan Wawrinka defeated Andy Murray, Marin Cilic, Gael Monfils, Fabio Fognini, Alexandr Dolgopolov, and Jozef Kovalík to reach the final, but was unable to defeat Nadal. The 'King of Clay' walked out victorious at the Stade Roland Garros and won his tenth title.
3. Andy Murray
The honorable member of the "Big 4", Andy Murray, came across Rafael Nadal on two different occasions at the clay-court major. The Scot doesn't have the best record on the red dirt, as he feels more comfortable on the grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
Nevertheless, the three-time Grand Slam winner has also been helpless against the 'King or Clay' at Roland Garros. Their first meeting at the French Open took place in 2011, where Nadal eliminated the Scot in the semifinal in straight sets.
They squared off in the French Open for the second time in 2014, with Nadal recording another win 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.
2. Novak Djokovic
Despite losing twice against Novak Djokovic on the red dirt, Rafael Nadal has still been fairly dominant against the Serb. The two have squared off at the French Open a total of 10 times, and Nadal leads the tally with eight victories over Djokovic's two winning efforts.
Moreover, they have also faced each other in three Roland Garros finals (2012, 2014, and 2020), and all of them were won by the Spaniard. Nadal's two losses against the Serb came in the 2015 quarterfinal and the 2021 semifinal.
1. Roger Federer
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's rivalry is one of the greatest in the history of tennis. In the clay court major, the Spaniard has dominated against his Swiss rival.
Nadal and Federer have met six times at Roland Garros, and the Swiss Maestro has failed to secure a win even once. Out of the six, four of their meetings took place in the finals - 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011 - with the 'King or Clay' being victorious on all four occasions.