Rafael Nadal defeated his longtime rival, the top-seeded
Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 to win his 13th
French Open singles title, extending a record he set years ago and further solidifying him as one of the sport's all-time great performers.
It was a history-making kind of day for the Spaniard. The victory means the 34-year-old Nadal has tied another contemporary,
Roger Federer, for the most Grand Slam titles in a career with 20. The "King of Clay," so-called because of his dominance on the surface, is now the oldest Roland-Garros champion since 1972. It's been 15 years since he won his first grand slam in
Paris in 2005, marking the longest span between a male professional
Tennis player's first and latest Grand Slam victories.
It was also the 56th matchup between Nadal and Djokovic, the most between any pair in the professional era, and the ninth time they've faced off in a Grand Slam final, equaling the record set by Nadal and Federer. Needless to say, it's been a pretty successful run for the trio. Watch Nadal's victory speech below and read more from The Associated Press.