Yet the warrior-like instincts kicked in and we were all reminded that Nadal, as long as he is standing, remains a physical and psychological force of nature on a tennis court.
Former world number one Mats Wilander says only two things can keep Roger Federer from advancing - injury and distraction.
The teams, which meet in a quarter-final from Friday, have a strong tradition in Davis Cup.
Not since Fred Perry won Wimbledon and U.S. Open in 1936 has a British man triumphed at one of the big four tournaments
Rafael Nadal beat unseeded Argentine Mariano Puerta 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 in a rousing French Open final on Sunday.
Let battle commence, says Djokovic ahead of Nadal showdown
As the last regular season event got underway this week, no Swede had lifted an ATP singles trophy in 2003.
It will mark the first Grand Slam final to be contested by two teenagers since Serena Williams and Martina Hingis met in the 1999 US Open title clash.
The Spanish ace will meet Argentina's Mariano Puerta in Sunday's title round for the French Open men's singles crown.
Serena Williams has gone 3-2 in matches that all lasted three sets and have taken a toll on her weary legs.
The 2nd major of the year, the French Open will start on the weekend. With the clay-court grand slam starting on Sunday, here is the list of French Open champions over the years
Nothing that has happened in the past 12 months suggests Roger Federer's hunger is diminished with victory at this year's Australian Open taking his Grand Slam title haul to 20.
Novak Djokovic will be favourite to reach his 27th Grand Slam final when he faces Stefanos Tsitsipas in the French Open semis on Friday but what had been a smooth path through the draw has suddenly got a little rocky.
Far from being a fading force, 12-times Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has shown signs that he is emerging from the toughest spell of his career and is ready for a fresh start ahead of next week's French Open.
Federer, a 20-times Grand Slam champion and the world number three, won the last of his eight Wimbledon titles in 2017 and is seeded second this year behind top-ranked Novak Djokovic.
Nadal will not be playing at Wimbledon, having decided to rest, while eight-time champion Federer is showing signs that, at 39, the window of opportunity to win one more Slam is closing.
Three-times Roland Garros champion Mats Wilander reflects on Day Two of the French Open.
Swiatek's last defeat on clay came in the WTA 1000 event in Madrid against Australian Barty, who elected not to defend her 2019 French Open title last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bidding for a record-extending ninth Australian Open title, the world number one and double-defending champion remains the runaway favourite at his favourite Grand Slam where he once remarked that he felt touched by the "divine".
Roger Federer has made no secret that at this stage of his career, anything he does or does not do on a tennis court is done with the sole purpose of making sure he is in the best shape possible to make another title run at Wimbledon.
...There was more to his win as he made a few variations to his game en route his 16th major
The board reminded Osaka that 'a core element of the Grand Slam regulations is the responsibility of the players to engage with the media'
Three-time Roland Garros champion Mats Wilander reflects on Day Five of the French Open for Reuters.
Three-times Roland Garros champion Mats Wilander reflects on Day 3 of the French Open for Reuters.
Simona Halep has been in red-hot form and the absence of top-ranked Australian Ash Barty, who won her maiden Grand Slam in Paris last year, and US Open champion Naomi Osaka, will boost her chances further.
Reaction to Novak Djokovic's disqualification from the US Open for striking a line judge with a ball during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta on Sunday.
The Dane could be the dangerwoman at this year's French Open, according to former champion Mats Wilander.
Rafael Nadal needs to play more aggressively if he is to claim a record-extending 11th French Open title as a pack of young wolves is breathing down his neck, according to three-time Roland Garros champion Mats Wilander.
No Italian man has won a Grand Slam since Adriano Panatta triumphed at Roland Garros in 1976 and if there is any chance that Sinner, Musetti or Berrettini will lift the Musketeers Cup this year, they will face their biggest obstacles in the next round when they take on the might of Nadal, Djokovic and Federer respectively.
World No 2 Andy Murray's three-point contribution to Britain's defeat of Belgium in the Davis Cup final concluded one of the most remarkable years ever achieved in the competition by an individual player. Below are the key facts:
List of French Open men's singles champions:
Rafael Nadal's unprecedented 10th French Open title on Sunday drew praise from across the tennis and sporting community: Here is a selection of what was said:
French federation president Bernard Giudicelli has hit out at the country's male players after their disappointing run at Roland Garros, saying they lacked physical strength and grit.
'Physically, tactically, emotionally, three out of five separates the great players from the good players'
The volatile 17th seed had a quiet evening by his standards in his opening match on Monday, with just the one violation for unsportsmanlike behaviour when he asked spectator, in no uncertain terms, to be quiet while he was serving.
Wilander calls for fifth-set tiebreaks after six-hour semi-final
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