SPAIN'S Rafa Nadal has leapt into the history books after clinching the Paris Open title for the 10th time, fending off third-seeded Stan Wawrinka with an immensely powerful play.
The Swiss national had seen off world number one Andy Murray in the semi-finals, so even though Rafa had already beaten Wawrinka 15 times out of the 19 matches they have played each other, he was not expecting an easy ride.
But after Wawrinka missed a break point in the third game and did not manage to earn any more, the Mallorca-born star – who is now world number two following his epic victory – took advantage of his rival's constant errors and got on a roll.
After winning seven games on the trot, Rafa was flying whilst Wawrinka was down 3-0 in the second set and becoming more and more frustrated, even breaking his racquet on the court with a determined thwack as he saw set two slip from his grasp.
Rafa's relentless forehand in set three meant he was invincible, breaking serve three times and unsettling Wawrinka enough that he hit the net on his second match point.
Later, tennis veteran Pat Cash described Rafa on Radio Five Live as 'lightning-fast' and 'ruthlessly tough'.
He recalled that the Spaniard, now 31, has only lost two Roland Garros titles since 2005, when he first sang victory aged just 19 – and both times he lost he had been grappling with injuries that eventually forced him off the circuit for months.
His first defeat at the Paris stadium was in 2009 against Sweden's Robin Söderling, then he lost again in 2015 to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during a season where he was barely coping due to ongoing injuries in his knee, wrist and back.
But now, Rafa is ahead of legends such as Martina Navratilova, who took the Wimbledon title nine times, and Roger Federer from Switzerland and Pete Sampras who, since World War II, are the only male players to have won the same Grand Slam competition on seven occasions.
Rafa's losing only 35 games in seven matches at this year's Paris Open fell just short of another world record – he is only beaten in this aspect by Sweden's Björn Börg, who won the 1978 Roland Garros title with only 32 games lost.
Since Open tournaments – where amateurs get the chance to play against professionals – were launched in 1968, no other player, male or female has won 10 Grand Slams in their entire career.
He did not cede a single set, ending on 6-2, 6-3 and 6-1, and putting paid to Wawrinka's hitherto unbroken run of victories, the 32-year-old Swiss national having won three major titles on the trot so far.
Upon scooping up the 15th major title of his career, Rafa observed that when the Paris Open trophy was first placed in his hands as a mere teenager, he had expected to have long retired by 2017.
“I didn't actually think I would have such a long career and win so many tournaments,” said the 'man from Manacor'.
“Back in 2005, I thought by the age of 31 I'd be on my boat in Mallorca, fishing.”
