Rafael Nadal Wins Record 7th French Open Title

King Stay The King: Rafael Nadal Still Owns French Open

The 2012 French Open taught us that Rafael Nadal is still the king on clay. What else did we learn on this windy fortnight?

French Open 2012: Rafael Nadal Wins 7th Title At Roland Garros After Rain Delay

It was an odd, short day of work for Rafael Nadal. Trailing 2-1 in the fourth set when the 2012 French Open final resumed on Monday, Nadal started hot, dominated his serve, and broke Novak Djokovic to win his seventh French Open title, 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. The set featured what appeared to be a one-cloud rainstorm and a 30-second rain delay, but when play “resumed” for a second time, Nadal took care of business.

Serving down 4-5, Djokovic seemed to once again loosen up — he tends to relax and play very well when his back is against the wall, and he won his serve easily. Down 5-6, however, Djokovic cracked a bit, committing a couple of errors and double-faulting on Nadal’s first match point, which can be seen here:

Nadal's seven titles at Roland Garros are the most ever. To say the least, his case as the greatest clay-court player ever has been solidified.

French Open TV Schedule 2012: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic Will Resume Final On Monday

UPDATE: Rafael Nadal has defeated Novak Djokovic in four sets to win his seventh French Open title.

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The rain came and wouldn't stop Sunday at Roland Garros. This means that Rafael Nadal, up two sets to one in the French Open final against Novak Djokovic, will have to wait another day to attempt to tie Bjorn Borg's record of six French Open titles. In the fourth set, Nadal leads, 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 1-2.

Djokovic is by no means out of it. There had been a rain delay before the match was resumed once, after which it had seemed as if Nadal had lost much of his momentum. Djokovic took the third set and is up an early break in the fourth. It's just, well, Nadal is the best clay court player in tennis history, without need of any qualifying terms. It is hard to believe he'll drop another set, let alone three in a row to lose in the final of the tournament he's lost just once in his career ... when he was injured. Regardless, it should be an epic conclusion.

Match Date/Time: Monday, June 10, 7 a.m. ET

Location: Roland Garros, Paris, France

TV: NBC Sports Network

You can see a full French Open scoreboard at SI.com.

For more updates on the 2012 French Open, keep checking SB Nation's dedicated tennis hub.

French Open 2012: Rain Delay Pushes Novak Djokovic-Rafael Nadal Final To Monday

The French Open 2012 men's final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal has been postponed due to a rain delay and threat of darkness. The match will resume Monday at 7 a.m. ET, and the TV schedule is for the NBC Sports Network.

Nadal leads Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 1-2.

Here's a good, quick catch-up on where we left off from SB Nation's Andy Hutchins:

Nadal had just won a game, ending a streak of eight straight games for the world's No. 1, before the second rain delay of the day was called, and told tournament officials that the court was the same as an hour prior as he made his way back to the locker room.

It's hard to blame Nadal for wanting to continue to build momentum against Djokovic after Djokovic steamrolled him in the third set, momentum unbroken. But persistent rain all day has made the courts sloppy and slippery, and whether or not momentum is carried is likely a less compelling point of interest for tournament officials than player safety and the integrity of play.

Oh, and the final word on the rain delay from WSJ's Tom Perrotta:

Oh by the way, it's not raining in Paris now. Not a drop. Oh well... #French2012

— Tom Perrotta (@TomPerrotta) June 10, 2012

You can see a full French Open scoreboard at SI.com.

For more updates on the 2012 French Open, keep checking SB Nation's dedicated tennis hub.

French Open 2012: Second Rain Delay Of Day Frustrates Rafael Nadal

Novak Djokovic's hot play had Rafael Nadal looking for a rain delay midway through the third set at Roland Garros on Sunday. But when the tables were turned, and Nadal broke through against Djokovic, Nadal complained about the delay that would eventually come with Djokovic up 2-1 in the fourth set.

Nadal had just won a game, ending a streak of eight straight games for the world's No. 1, before the second rain delay of the day was called, and told tournament officials that the court was the same as an hour prior as he made his way back to the locker room.

It's hard to blame Nadal for wanting to continue to build momentum against Djokovic after Djokovic steamrolled him in the third set, momentum unbroken. But persistent rain all day has made the courts sloppy and slippery, and whether or not momentum is carried is likely a less compelling point of interest for tournament officials than player safety and the integrity of play.

You can see a full French Open scoreboard at SI.com.

For more updates on the 2012 French Open, keep checking SB Nation's dedicated tennis hub.

French Open 2012: Novak Djokovic Rallies To Take Third Set From Rafael Nadal

Don't count Novak Djokovic out of the final in the 2012 French Open just yet. The world No. 1 turned the tables on Rafael Nadal to take the third set, 6-2, and prolong what looked like it could be a straight-sets victory for the Spaniard.

Nadal carried a 6-4, 6-3 lead into the set, but it was his lackluster play on serve, not his defense, that was the focal point of the third set. He converted just 17 of 26 first serves, and won points on an even less impressive seven of those 17.

Djokovic hit just eight winners in the third set, but was stellar at the net, winning on seven of his nine net approaches. He also defended his serve well, giving up just one break point to Nadal after allowing six through the first two sets.

You can see a full French Open scoreboard at SI.com.

For more updates on the 2012 French Open, keep checking SB Nation's dedicated tennis hub.

French Open 2012: Rafael Nadal Takes Commanding Lead In Men's Final

And so it came to pass that even the rain couldn't quite stop Rafael Nadal at the French Open. After a brief rain delay interrupted the second set of play in the men's singles final, Nadal wasted no time in finishing off Djokovic to take a commanding two-set lead, winning the second set 6-3.

Nadal hasn't quite dominated Djokovic on the day — even for Nadal, both in his element on the Roland Garros clay and on one of his better runs of play at a French Open, throttling the world's best all-around player at the moment is tough going. But Djokovic cannot solve Nadal's defense, and has been broken repeatedly (Nadal has six breaks in 13 chances), and it's nigh impossible to see a path for him to upset the lord of clay by winning three straight sets.

You can see a full French Open scoreboard at SI.com.

For more updates on the 2012 French Open, keep checking SB Nation's dedicated tennis hub.

French Open 2012: Rafael Nadal Leads As Men's Final Enters Rain Delay

Finally, something has succeeded in stymieing Rafael Nadal's dominance on the red clay of Roland Garros: rain. The Spaniard leads Novak Djokovic, 6-4, 5-3, in the men's singles final of the 2012 French Open, but play has been suspended for a rain delay.

Nadal had just run off three straight games to erase Djokovic's only lead of the match at 3-2 in the second set, and was about to serve to go up two sets to none. But rain had fallen throughout much of that run, and intensified at the end of it, so play has been halted and both players have returned to the locker room.

It's likely frustrating for both Nadal and Djokovic, but Nadal had done his part to flummox Djokovic, aiming to hold all four major titles at once, in the second set. His defense left the Serbian star exasperated repeatedly, so much so that he belted his bench with his racket, opening a gash.

You can see a full French Open scoreboard at SI.com.

For more updates on the 2012 French Open, keep checking SB Nation's dedicated tennis hub.

French Open 2012: Rafael Nadal Takes First Set Against Novak Djokovic In Men's Final

For three games in the 2012 French Open men's singles final, it appeared that the Rafael Nadal who had streaked through the tournament had shown up again, ready to make mincemeat of one of the world's finest players. Then Novak Djokovic got into gear, forcing the regnant king of Roland Garros to grind to take the first set, 6-4.

Nadal built a quick 3-0 lead in the match, breaking Djokovic twice, but Djokovic returned the favor in the next three games, breaking twice by extending deuces and installing the sort of defense only Nadal can typically rely on.

Nadal would outlast Djokovic in the final four games of the match, earning a break to go up 4-3 and playing an exquisite drop shot to set up a double set point he converted with a cross-court forehand.

You can see a full French Open scoreboard at SI.com.

For more updates on the 2012 French Open, keep checking SB Nation's dedicated tennis hub.

French Open 2012: Can Djokovic Cope With Dominant Nadal?

Novak Djokovic crafted his game around beating Rafael Nadal, and he has done just that in the last three grand slam finals. Can he do it again at Roland Garros, or is Nadal just playing too well?

French Open TV Schedule 2012: Rafael Nadal And Novak Djokovic Vie For Title

History is on the line as Rafael Nadal tries to match Bjorn Borg's French Open record seven titles and Novak Djokovic tries to become the first men's player since Ivan Lendl to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time.