Rafael Nadal Wins 12th French Open, Ashleigh Barty Her First - Mondays with Bob Greene

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French Open

Men’s Singles: Rafael Nadal beat Dominic Thiem 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1

Women’s Singles: Ashleigh Barty beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-1 6-3

Men’s Doubles: Andreas Mies and Kevin Krawietz beat Jeremy Chardy and Fabrice Martin 6-2 7-6 (3)

Women’s Doubles: Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic beat Duan Yingying and Zheng Saisai 6-2 6-3

Mixed Doubles: Latisha Chan and Ivan Dodig beat Gabriela Dabrowski and Mate Pavic 6-1 7-6 (5)

Boys’ Singles: Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune beat Toby Kodat 6-3 6-7 (5) 6-0

Girls’ Singles: Leylah Annie Fernandez beat Emma Navarro 6-3 6-2

Men’s Wheelchair Singles: Gustavo Fernandez beat Gordon Reid 6-1 6-3

Women’s Wheelchair Singles: Diede De Groot beat Yui Kamiji 6-1 6-0

Men’s Wheelchair Doubles: Gustavo Fernandez and Shingo Kunieda beat Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer 2-6 6-2 1-0 (8)

Women’s Wheelchair Doubles: Diede De Groot and Aniek Van Koot beat Marjolein Buis and Sabine Ellerbrock 6-1 6-1

Quad Wheelchair Singles: Dylan Alcott beat David Wagner 6-2 4-6 6-2

Quad Wheelchair Doubles: Dylan Alcott and David Wagner beat Ymanitu Silva and Koji Sugeno 6-3 6-3

OTHERS

Daniel Evans beat Viktor Troiki 6-2 6-3 to win the Surbiton Trophy men’s singles in Surbiton, Great Britain

Tamara Zidansek beat Sara Sorribes Tormo 7-5 7-5 to win the Croatia Bol Open in Bol, Croatia

Pablo Andujar beat Attila Balazs 6-2 7-5 to win the Moneta Czech Open in Prostejov, Czech Republic

Alison Riske beat Magdalena Rybarikova 6-7 (5) 6-2 6-2 to win the Surbiton Trophy women’s singles in Surbiton, Great Britain

SAYINGS

“All the things that I went through probably give me that extra passion when I am playing, because I know I will not be here forever. So I just try to be positive, to be intense, and to be passionate about what I am doing.” – Rafael Nadal, following his record 12^th Roland Garros triumph.

“I had a little drop, which is, against most of the players, not that bad. But he took the chance and stepped right on me.” – Dominic Thiem, after losing to Rafael Nadal in the Roland Garros final for the second straight year.

“I played the perfect match. I am so proud of myself.” – Ashleigh Barty, after winning the Roland Garros women’s singles title.

“I have to say thank you to my partner, my sister, my best friend Kiki because with her every day is like playing a final. – Timea Babos, after she partnered Kristina Mladenovic to the women’s doubles title.

“It’s a privilege to experience these moments – this moment is inscribed on my heart.” – Kristina Mladenovic.

“I’m absolutely speechless right now, and that doesn’t happen a lot.” – Andreas Mies, who teamed with Kevin Krawietz to win the men’s doubles.

“I was in the semifinals with perhaps three of the greatest of all time, so it was unbelievable to beat one of them.” – Dominic Thiem, who beat Novak Djokovic while Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer in the other semifinal.

“When you’re playing in hurricane kind of conditions, it’s hard to perform your best.” – Novak Djokovic, after losing to Thiem in a match played over two days in strong wind.

“You never get tired of reaching a final. For me, it’s always magnificent and you savor each final because you never know if you’ll get back there.” – Kristina Mladenovic.

“I’d like to win all the tournaments, all the Grand Slams, all the tournaments in the world. But Roland Garros is very special for me because it was the first Grand Slam I watched on TV. So being able to win here as a junior player is very special for me.” – Leylah Annie Fernandez, the Junior Girls champion.

“It’s unbelievable. I was dreaming about this; it’s come true and now my dream is to win here as a senior in a couple of years.” – Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune, after winning the Junior Boys title.

SPECIAL VICTORY

Admitting this one was special, Rafael Nadal dominated Dominic Thiem to sweep to a record 12^th Roland Garros title and his 18^th Grand Slam tournament crown. “This is something I never dreamed about 5, 6, 8 years ago, but it’s happening today,” Nadal said. The Spaniard is now just two Grand Slam tournament titles behind Roger Federer’s all-time men’s record of 20 majors and three ahead of Novak Djokovic. Despite his dominance on clay, Nadal said he had doubts about this year’s French Open. “I was worried about my health, the Spaniard said. “I was down mentally and physically after Indian Wells” where he withdrew from the semifinals with a knee injury. The “King of Clay” played second-fiddle on his favorite surface this year, losing in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid before winning Rome. “I had issues with my knee and surgery on my foot, so many issues in the last 18 months that have made the last few weeks very special,” the 33-year-old said. Thiem grabbed the first service break in the match, taking a 3-2 lead. Thiem would not win another game in the set. After Thiem leveled the match at a set apiece, the Austrian would win just two more games. “This is a very satisfying victory,” Nadal said. Besides his 12 Roland Garros victories, Nadal has won three US Opens, two Wimbledon and one Australian Open. He also has won a record 34 Masters and now has 82 career titles, of w2hich 59 have been on clay. “I just try to be positive, to be intense, and to be passionate about what I’m doing,” Nadal said.

SMASHING WIN

When Ashleigh Barty finished her thrashing of Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova, Australia had it’s first Roland Garros singles champion in 46 years. It took the eighth-seeded Barty only 70 minutes to win her first Grand Slam tournament title. The victory boosted her ranking to second in the world behind Naomi Osaka, who had won the last two Grand Slam tournaments. It’s unbelievable. I’m a little speechless,” Barty said. She won the first four games and never looked back. Even Vondrousova was impressed. “You gave me a lesson,” said the 19-year-old who was trying to become the first teenaged Grand Slam tournament winner since Maria Sharapova won the 2006 US Open. The aggressive Barty controlled play the entire match, racing to the net to hit unreturnable shots off Vondrousova’s ill-placed drop shots or finding angles from the baseline that her opponent could only watch sail by for winners. “I’m so proud of myself and my team,” Barty said. “It’s been a magical two weeks.” Because of rain and much-criticized scheduling decision, Vondrousova’s first venture onto Court Philippe Chatrier came in the women’s final. It turned out the two finalists had to wait for Dominic Thiem’s five-set men’s semifinal win over Novak Djokovic before they were able to take the court. The Czech, who had reached the final without dropping a set. never appeared to get over her nervousness in the biggest match of her career.

STREAK ENDS

Wild weather and Dominic Thiem combined to end Novak Djokovic’s 26-match Grand Slam tournament winning streak, stopping the Serb’s attempt to hold all four major titles at the same time. “I don’t want to point out some reasons or find excuses for this loss,” said Djokovic, who fell to his Austrian opponent 6-2 3-6 7-5 5-7 7-5 in a two-day battle that was interrupted by rain. “I mean, he took it, he won it, and well done to him.” Djokovic was stopped two victories short of winning his fourth consecutive major, a run that began at Wimbledon last July and continued at the US Open in September and the Australian Open in January. “So many ups and downs. And rain, going back to the locker, on court again,” Thiem said. “Somehow I had the feeling that I had the lead in the whole match, and then, at the end, it got so touch. Both of us, we could win, and I luckily got the better in the end.”

STYLISH WIN

Not only did Kristina Mladenovic of France move up the WTA doubles rankings to number one in the world, she also teamed with Timea Babos to capture Roland Garros, their second Grand Slam title together. “It’s another thing I can tick off my bucket list,” Mladenovic said of her new ranking. “It’s a great reward and it’s mine, something that I’ve achieved.” Their latest title came by stopping Duan Yingying and Sheng Saisai in straight sets. Not only was this a first Grand Slam final for either of the Chinese players, it was the first tournament the two had competed as a team. Duan and Sheng played tough, but the champions prevailed on all of the big points. It was the first time Mladenovic and Babos have reached the final in Paris, but they won the Australian Open in 2018 as well as the WTA Finals. Mladenovic teamed with Caroline Garcia to win the Roland Garros doubles three years ago.

SECOND STRAIGHT

Latisha Chan and Ivan Dodig are getting used to picking up the biggest trophy at Roland Garros. The pair became the first team to successfully defending their mixed doubles title in Paris in the Open Era as they defeated the same team they beat last year, Gabriela Dabrowski and Mate Pavic. “It was rematch from last year, so congratulations to Mate and Gabby,” Chan said during the victory ceremony. “I believe there’ll be much more rematches again.” Dabrowski and Pavic, this year’s Australian Open winner, grabbed a 4-1 lead in the second set, only to have Chan and Dodig pull even and force a second-set tiebreak, which they won 7-5. Dodig has won three Roland Garros titles, including the 2015 men’s doubles title with Marcelo Melo. Chan also won the 2017 US Open women’s doubles with Martina Hingis.

SURPRISE CHAMPIONS

Andreas Mies and fellow German Kevin Krawietz began played doubles together last year on the Challenger tour. Now they are Grand Slam tournament champions, surprising Frenchmen Jeremy Chardy and Fabrice Martin for the men’s title. “What a journey, eh,” Krawietz exclaimed. The match featured some dazzling volley interplay in one particularly brilliant explosion of net tennis, but there was no doubt which team was the best after capturing the title in straight sets.

SUPERB YOUNGSTERS

Leylah Annie Fernandez became the first Canadian to win a Roland Garros junior singles title when she beat eighth-seeded American Emma Navarro, completing her title run without dropping a set. It was the second consecutive Grand Slam tournament final for Fernandez, who lost the Australian Open junior girls final in January. “Of course, this year my goal was to win one junior Grand Slam. I fell short in the Australian Open junior. I was very happy to be able to have another opportunity here in Paris and to win it,” Fernandez said.

Not to be outdone, Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune became the player from Denmark to win a French Open junior singles crown. “This is a dream come true,” he said. “It was amazing to be on such a court with a big audience around us, cheering for me. What an experience.” It turned out to be harder than at first it appeared. Serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set, Rune twice had match points. But American Toby Kodat fought back to level the match at one set apiece before Rune was able to regain his game. “It was my luck the rain came,” Rune said. “It let me start over with a new match. I was really frustrated, but I managed to settle down and relax … I came back on the court feeling fresh, more free and it went my way.”

STRAIGHT IN

German brother Alexander and Mischa Zverev along with Frenchman Lucas Pouille have entered the Mercedes Open, strengthening even more the strong Stuttgart, Germany, field. Among others in the grass-court field include Karen Khachanov, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev, Nick Kyrgios, Milos Raonic, Denis Shapovalov and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

STRANGE FIGURES

Women’s wheelchair championship history was made when Diede de Groot won her first Roland Garros title. The 22-year-old Dutch player is the first to hold the women’s wheelchair singles titles at all four Grand Slam tournaments simultaneously. And for the second straight major tournament, de Groot beat Yui Kamiji of Japan in the title match. De Groot lost to Kamiji at Roland Garros last year and still trails the Japanese woman 14-12 in their overall record.

De Groot also won wheelchair doubles, teaming with Aniek Van Koot to only give up two games in beating Marjolein Buis and Sabine Ellerbrock in the final.

In the men’s wheelchair singles final, second-seeded Gustavo Fernandez of Argentina defeated Britain’s Gordon Reid for the title. “I did a great job,” Fernandez said. “I knew I had the strength and mental capacity to play at the required intensity. I knew he could do it, too, so I was ready for it. Me and my team left nothing to chance.”

Fernandez also ended with two titles, He teamed with Japan’s Shingo Kunieda to edge Frenchmen Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer.

Australia’s Dylan Alcott continued his perfect Grand Slam tournament record, extending his winning streak to 12 matches in capturing the quad singles over American David Wagner. He and Wagner then won the quad doubles, triumphing over Brazil’s Ymanitu Silva and Japan’s Koji Sugeno.

SPELLING LESSONS, PLEASE

When Ashleigh Barty won the women’s singles title, she became the first Australian woman to do so since Margaret Court in 1973. Or did she? The Coupe Suzanne Lenglen, given to the winner, lists among the past winner Sue Barker of Australia in 1976. Now a BBC sports broadcaster, Barker is British, despite what’s listed on the cup. Then there’s the 1977 champion Mima Jausovec. Her name is misspelled “Jausevec.” And the women’s doubles trophy, the Coupe Simonne Mathieu, spells it “Simone Mathieu” on the cup itself.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Bol: Timea Bacsinszky and Mandy Minella beat Cornelia Lister and Renata Voracova 06 7-6 (3) 10-4 (match tiebreak)

Prostejov: Philipp Oswald and Filip Polasek beat Jiri Lehecka and Jiri Vesely 6-4 7-6 (4)

Surbiton (men): Marcel Granollers and Ben McLachlan beat Soonwoo Kwon and Ramkumar Ramanathan 4-6 6-3 10-2 (match tiebreak)

Surbiton (women): Jennifer Brady and Caroline Dolehide beat Heather Watson and Yanina Wickmayer 6-3 6-4

SURFING

s-Hertogenbosch: http://libema-open.nl/en/

London: https://www.lta.org.uk/major-tennis-events/british-major-events/fever-tree-championships/

Halle: https://www.gerryweber-open.de/

Ilkley: https://www.lta.org.uk/major-tennis-events/trophy-series/ilkley-trophy/

Birmingham: https://www.lta.org.uk/major-tennis-events/british-major-events/nature-valley-classic/

Mallorca: https://www.mallorcaopen.org