Despite all the trials and tribulations he suffered in the build-up, no one could prevent Nadal from lifting the Musketeers' Cup for a record-extending 14th time.
Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka beat Iga Swiatek 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to win the Madrid Open on Saturday, avenging her defeat by the Polish world number one in last month's Stuttgart final.
The two great rivals meet at Roland Garros for the first time in eight years in Friday's French Open semi-final.
'I think I played a great first set, one of the best of the claycourt season, in my opinion. No mistakes, high intensity, winners, playing long'.
The Pole said she wanted to do better this time and felt the pressure.
Images from the French Open quarter-final between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros on Tuesday.
Three contenders for the men's singles title at the Australian Open, which starts on Sunday.
Williams playing at a 'better level' after injury-hit start to season
Dominic Xavier salutes the three incomparable masters of the modern era: Roger Federer. Rafael Nadal. Novak Djokovic.
Bopana matched his best performance at the clay court major by reaching the quarterfinals
Roger Federer said he has never faced problems in switching from claycourts to grass and hopes his decision to play on his least favourite surface at Roland Garros will prove beneficial to his Wimbledon bid.
Alexander Zverev continued to rebuild his confidence on clay with a straight sets win over Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut in the Monte Carlo Masters second round.
Fears that Rafael Nadak may miss the French Open grew after he pulled out of this week's Italian Open.
Twice finalist Ruud overcomes Davidovich Fokina test
'Whilst I feel fit and healthy, I would like to give it a go.'
The major milestones in Djokovic's career
Novak Djokovic won a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title by after winning this year's Wimbledon drawing level with long-time rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Rafael Nadal, who was out of competitive action for over six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was at pains to point out that not everything was as easy as it looks.
IMAGES from Day 6 of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Friday.
Iga Swiatek celebrated her 21st birthday with a cake at the Roland Garros.
The French Open will be able to welcome only 1,000 people a day, including players, staff and organisers, down from the 5,000 spectators it had hoped for,
Factbox on Rafael Nadal's French Open final wins
'Let's be confident, let's be positive and let's see what's going on'
Swiatek routinely arrives on court wearing headphones, drowning out the voices in her head and outside with thumping rock music.
Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko is the latest player to withdraw from the US Open, organisers of the tennis Grand Slam confirmed on Monday.
Nadal stretched his record of men's singles Grand Slam titles to 22
Let battle commence, says Djokovic ahead of Nadal showdown
World number one Jannik Sinner's bid for a second Grand Slam title continued to gain momentum as he thumped Christopher O'Connell 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday to reach the US Open fourth round.
Seven months after the last French Open ended the tournament is back, boosted by the prospect of more spectators despite ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and forecasts of good weather.
Images from Day 5 of the 2022 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Thursday.
Nadal has a habit of truly coming into his own at Roland Garros, as his 100-2 win-loss record testifies.
Coming from a humble family at a time when tennis was considered a sport only for the upper classes in Spain, Santana became a stalwart of the country's Davis Cup team, amassing a 69-17 win-loss record in singles between 1958 and 1973. He also won the tournament at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico, where tennis was a demonstration event.
Although Nadal has revealed that he has seen improvements in his hip injury after trying a new treatment, the question still remains: Will Rafa defend his title at the French Open?
Rafael Nadal may have won the French Open a record 12 times but the Spaniard feels this year's conditions will be the most difficult he has ever faced at Roland Garros and mean he must be at his best to have a chance of retaining his title again.
Novak Djokovic's parents, wife and children watched him win a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title at the Philippe Chatrier court on Sunday.
Iga Swiatek is dynamite on court and the fireworks have just started, her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski said on Saturday after the world number one clinched her second Grand Slam title at the French Open.
Djokovic puts record books out of mind in hunt for 24th major title
Nadal has won his 13th French Open singles title and 20th Grand Slam tournament by beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
Novak Djokovic has no intention of passing the torch to the next generation just yet.
Roger Federer said he is "definitely" intending to return to top-level tennis in 2023, but added that he had not made any concrete plans beyond his scheduled appearances at the Laver Cup and his home tournament in Basel later this year.
