In pictures: What to remember from Nadal’s 100 victories at Roland-Garros

Vanquisher of Novak Djokovic this Sunday (6-0, 6-2, 7-5), Rafael Nadal achieved a mind-blowing 13th coronation at Roland Garros. He also notched his 100th victory on the terre battue of Paris. Relive, in pictures, on his most stunning successes.

Rafael Nadal at the 2020 Roland-Garros

Chris Oddo

October 12, 2020

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2005 : NADAL - BURGSMÜLLER (6-1, 7-6, 6-1), Round 1

On Monday, May 25, Rafael Nadal was not yet 19 when he arrived on court No 1 to play the very first match of his career at Roland Garros. A baptism of fire crowned with success, as the young Spaniard won in three sets against Lars Burgsmüller. The story then began …
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2005 : NADAL - PUERTA (6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5) - FINAL

In his very first Grand Slam final, Rafael Nadal did not collapse after losing the first set in the tiebreak to Mariano Puerta. The Mallorcan turned the tide and won in four sets, and took his first bite of the Coupe des Mousquetaires.
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2006 : NADAL - MATHIEU (5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4) Round 3

Rafael Nadal has won each of the eight matches he has played against the French on Parisian clay. But this four-setter in the third round of the 2006 edition, which saw him cross swords with Paul-Henri Mathieu, was undeniably the most complicated. It is also the longest match played by the Spaniard at Roland Garros (4h53).
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2006 : NADAL - FEDERER (1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6) - FINAL

Nadal - Federer, it has become a great tennis classic, as well as an unmissable meeting between two giants of the game. In 2006, however, the legend was yet to be written. "Rafa" took care of the business against the Swiss and won his second title in Paris.
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2008 : NADAL - FEDERER (6-1, 6-3, 6-0) - FINAL

As in 2006 and 2007, the Roland-Garros final pitted Rafael Nadal against Roger Federer in 2008. But this time there was no match. The king of clay was ruthless against the Swiss, who barely managed to register four small games.
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2010 : NADAL - SÖDERLING (6-4, 6-2, 6-4) - FINAL

A year after having experienced his first defeat at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal quickly gained his revenge in the 2010 final. Revenge being a dish that is best served cold, the “Manacor Bull” did not give Robin Söderling anything to chew on.
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2016 : NADAL - GROTH (6-1, 6-1, 6-1) Round 1

The defending champion was made to scramble in the first round of the 2011 edition. Against American giant John Isner, Rafael Nadal found himself behind two sets to one, but ended up persevering. This is one of his only two victories in five sets in Paris, with the other - unforgettable - one against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals in 2013 (6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7, 9 -7).
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2012 : NADAL - DJOKOVIC (6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5) - FINAL

Novak Djokovic is the opponent Rafael Nadal has beaten most often at Roland-Garros (7), but this 2012 final was tricky for the Spaniard. Novak made progress in the terrible weather conditions, before the final was interrupted on Sunday. It ended on Monday, like so many others, in victory for Nadal.
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2013 : NADAL - FERRER (6-3, 6-2, 6-3) - FINAL

In total, Rafael Nadal has notched 14 victories against his fellow Spaniards in Paris, the nationality he has "martyred" the most in the French capital. David Ferrer, swept in the final in 2013, is one of the ruthless southpaw's long list of Spanish victims.
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2016 : NADAL - GROTH (6-1, 6-1, 6-1)

In 2016, Nadal only needed an hour and a half to get rid of Australian Sam Groth. This is the shortest match (excluding retirement) played by the Manacor native at Roland Garros.
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2017 : NADAL - BASILASHVILI (6-0, 6-1, 6-0) Round 3

Like Robby Ginepri, thrashed in 2014 (6-0, 6-3, 6-0), Nikoloz Basilashvili also suffered a pair of bagel sets from Nadal. Fortunately, the Georgian was able to save the honor in the second round …
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2020 : NADAL - GERASIMOV (6-4, 6-4, 6-2) Round 1

In 2020, Rafael Nadal kicked off his winning campaign at Philippe-Chatrier court, where he has played all of his matches this year. The venue for 80 of his 100 Parisian victories, Le Court Central of Roland-Garros quickly became the garden of the Spaniard.
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2020 : NADAL - SINNER (7-6, 6-4, 6-1) Quarter-Final

It was 1:27 am when Rafael Nadal converted the match point for his quarter-final against Jannik Sinner. Never has a meeting ended so late at the Paris Major.
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2020 : NADAL - DJOKOVIC (6-0, 6-2, 7-5) - FINAL

Nadal's 100th victory at Roland Garros, naturally, had to happen in a final. And it had to be historic, both in terms of the incredible performance of its author and its historical consequences (13th title in Paris, 20th Grand Slam title). Mission accomplished.