Nadal was much more than a claycourt bully, though. He spent more than 900 successive weeks from 2005 in the ATP's top 10, 209 of them at number one and at the age of 24 became the youngest player to complete the career Grand Slam.
Argentine Mariano Puerta's record eight-year ban following a positive dope test has been reduced to two years
The ITF said its independent Anti-Doping Tribunal ruled that 27-year-old Argentine tested positive for the banned stimulant etilefrine after his French Open final defeat by Spain's Rafael Nadal in June.
Puerta stood in for Spain's Rafael Nadal, who withdrew from the Shanghai event earlier in the day with an ankle injury.
The Argentine was banned for eight years after testing positive banned stimulant etilefrine
Russia's Nikolay Davydenko earned the semi-final berth by beating Gaston Gaudio 6-3, 6-4.
Andy Roddick defeated French wildcard Thierry Ascione in the first round of the Lyon Grand Prix.
The Argentine said there is no truth in a report in a French newspaper that he had tested positive at the 2005 French Open.
Both nations took 2-1 leads in their semi-finals with doubles victories.
His victory enabled Argentina level the Davis Cup semi-final against Slovakia.
The top seed beat Mariano Puerta in 72 minutes to set up a semi-final with France's Paul-Henri Mathieu in the Montreal Masters.
Rafael Nadal beat unseeded Argentine Mariano Puerta 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 in a rousing French Open final on Sunday.
Gaston Gaudio beat Alberto Martin in straight sets to set up an all-Argentine final against wildcard Mariano Puerta in the Buenos Aires Open.
Moya, who went through his first two matches without dropping a set, won the first of his 18 singles titles in Buenos Aires 10 years ago.
Top seed Carlos Moya recorded another straight-sets win at the $380,000 Buenos Aires Open on Wednesday.
The world No. 1 said the players he plays with are clean.
Novak Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final to win a 24th Grand Slam singles title and equal Margaret Court's record haul.
David Nalbandian won his delayed singles match and then teamed up with Mariano Puerta to win the doubles.
The Spanish ace will meet Argentina's Mariano Puerta in Sunday's title round for the French Open men's singles crown.
The claycourt specialist won 6-4 6-4 as he followed up last week's win in Vina del Mar, Chile with another title, his first on home soil.
Novak Djokovic beat Casper Ruud in the French Open final to win a men's record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title.
Nadal surpassed the haul of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Rediff.com takes a look at players who tested positive for use of banned substances over the years.
A quick look at Rafael Nadal's domination of Roger Federer at Roland Garros.
How Nadal surpassed the haul of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
List of French Open men's singles champions:
Factbox on Rafael Nadal's French Open final wins
'And that was what I missed the most when I saw Nadal play in Delhi, the banter with my mom, because she's gone and I won't get to share that moment with her.' 'Superfan' Roshneesh Kmaneck on watching Rafa in person.
List of French Open men's singles champions:
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
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