Unbreakable: Rafael Nadal Saves All 8 Break Points to Secure 5th Roland Garros Title

PETE ZIEBRON

 

Rafael Nadal reclaimed the #1 ranking and won his 7th Grand Slam title at Roland Garros on Sunday.  (Charles Gabrean Photography)

 

Rafael Nadal saved his very best tennis for the 2010 Roland Garros Final, defeating 5th seeded Robin Soderling 6-4 6-2 6-4 to win his 5th Coupe de Muskateer in Paris on Sunday.  Soderling had several opportunities, 8 to be exact, to break Nadal and either take control of the match in the first set or fight his way back into the match in the second set.  Instead, it was Nadal with the fight, denying Soderling any opportunity to feel comfortable on the terre bateau on Philippe Chatrier Court.

Saving break points in Grand Slam Final victories has become a Nadal staple in the 7 Slams that he has won.  Recently, Nadal's improved serve has been a significant factor in his ability to turn break point opportunities into frustration for his opponents.

Break Point conversion of Nadal opponents in his 7 Grand Slam wins:

 

• '05 RG Puerta     3/14
• '06 RG Federer   3/10
• '07 RG Federer   1/17
• '08 RG Federer   1/4
• '08 W   Federer   1/13
• '09 AO Federer   6/19
• '10 RG Soderling 0/8

Heading into the clay court season, Nadal had not won a tournament in 11 months.  The drought ended in explosive fashion as he swept all 3 Masters 1000 tournaments in Monte Carlo, Rome and Madrid and at Roland Garros, Nadal put a final exclamation point on the 2010 clay court season by winning all 21 sets and did not face a set point in the tournament.

Despite the fact that the grass court season begins tomorrow in London and Halle, Germany, Nadal has his sights set on a US Open title, which would give him a career Grand Slam.  Following the trophy presentation, Nadal shared the following with John McEnroe and an American television audience:

 

• "See you in the US Open because its the one who remains for me and I always have a special motivation for this, so see you then."

Nadal's best showing in New York is a pair of semifinal appearances in the past two seasons where he lost to Juan Martin del Potro last year and Andy Murray in 2008.