Rafael Nadal wins his 13th Roland Garros crown

Spanish player Rafael Nadal secured his 13th Roland Garros title on Sunday against Serbian player Novak Djokovic, defeating him 6-0, 6-2, and 7-5 in 2 hours and 41 minutes, thus equalizing Swiss player Roger Federer's record of 20 Grand Slam titles.

In a final that was easier than expected against the world's number one, Nadal achieved his 100th victory on the clay court in Paris.

"This is not the moment to think about the 20 grand slams or records, it's time to think about this tournament, which means everything to me. Just being able to play here is a pleasure," he said.

At the age of 34, Nadal also won the coronavirus's Roland Garros, rescheduled to autumn with cold and humidity that hinder his conditions, but even in that context, he maintained the dominance of a tournament that he has made his own.

No one had ever won 13 titles in the same tournament. Martina Navratilova had twelve crowns in Chicago.

Nadal becomes the fifth player to achieve more than 100 victories in a Grand Slam, and he did it under unusual conditions, with hardly any audience in the stands due to the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Spanish player, who arrived in Paris with only three matches after the lockdown, demonstrated that he excels at Roland Garros and handed Djokovic his second defeat of the season, after suffering one in the US Open due to disqualification for hitting a line judge, against fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreño.

The world's number one remains with 17 Grand Slam titles for now, and with only one victory in Paris, unable to become the first player of the open era to win each Grand Slam at least twice.

Half an hour before the start of the match, autumn arrived in the form of rain, and the newly inaugurated roof of the Philippe Chatrier court justified the investment: the 2020 final would be played under cover, like the 2012 Australian Open final.

The omen was bad for the Spanish player, known for his love of sun and the playing conditions it brings, and who had lost their only previous final indoors.

But Nadal does not have time to dwell on statistics, nor to review history books, nor to worry about anything that happens outside the clay court that he has turned into his stronghold.

The Serbian player was the one who seemed cold, stiff, and lacking his usual liveliness, at the mercy of Nadal's game, better positioned and more determined to win the match. Djokovic's attempts to find openings in the Spaniard's defense were in vain, despite using drop shots and attempting impossible angles. Everything that went Nadal's way came back poisoned.

With only one out of every four first serves, the Serbian player relinquished one of his best weapons, which explains why his serves were continuously returned by Nadal, who, firm with his serve, took nearly half an hour to give Djokovic a break point.

There was only one break point in the first set, which Djokovic failed to take advantage of, allowing the Spanish player to win the set to love, the second 6-0 result between both players after last year's match in Rome, also in favor of Nadal.

The percentage of first serves improved for the Serbian player, and he won his first game to open the second set, but in return, Nadal read his game at the net better and neutralized the drop shots that Djokovic relied on.

The Spanish bulldozer did not weaken, and the Serbian player had to take too many risks, attempting the impossible, which could either turn out well or badly. The world's number one player was not at his best and made numerous errors, failing to dismantle Nadal's defense.

Only halfway through the third set did Djokovic show a hint of a comeback, as he regained his serve after losing it and converted his first break point out of 5, encouraging the sparsely populated stands, seeking support in an attempt to do what no one had done before, come back from two sets down against Nadal on clay.

The Spanish player did not falter, continuing with his strength to achieve the liberating victory with an ace.