2017 French Open Men’s Final Open Thread: Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal
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Rafael Nadal will try to make history once again by becoming the first man to ever win 10 titles at a single Grand Slam. The 9-time French Open champion has yet to drop a set in six matches as he seeks a 3rd title at Roland Garros without surrendering a set.
Stan Wawrinka is going for his second French Open title, fourth at a Slam. The Swiss has won his last 10 matches on clay and has never lost in a Grand Slam final (3-0).
“He’s a very dangerous player because he can hit the ball very hard,” Nadal said. “I need to play aggressive, I need to play long, I need to try to not let him play from easy positions. If not, I’m going to be in big trouble. Then anything can happen, and I hope to be ready for that.”
Wawrinka is just 3-15 against Nadal and just 1-6 against him on clay.
“To play Rafa on clay in French Open in a final is probably the biggest challenge you can have in tennis,” said Wawrinka. “He’s the best player ever on clay. He’s going for his 10th Roland-Garros – it’s something really impressive, something tough.
“It’s for sure going to be really difficult. But at the end of the day, it’s the final – the pressure is on both players. No one goes on the court thinking he has no pressure. We both want to win the title, and we’re both going to give it our all on the court.
“He’s for sure going to be the favorite with what he’s done in the past. But also this season already he’s playing so well, so I will have to play my best tennis. But I did in the past, so we will see what’s going to happen on Sunday.”
Head-to-head: Nadal leads 15-3
A 19th Tour-level meeting between the 2 players, and their 4th at a Grand Slam. Wawrinka won the only previous Grand Slam final the pair have contested, at the 2014 Australian Open. Since the beginning of 2014, the head-to-head is tied at 3-3.
Nadal has a 2-1 win-loss record against Wawrinka in Tour-level finals, with both of his 2 wins coming on clay.
This is the 8th time the pair have met on clay. Nadal has a 6-1 win-loss record against Wawrinka on clay, with his only defeat coming at 2015 Rome-1000.
Wawrinka and Nadal are the first pair of players aged 30 or over to contest a Roland Garros final since 1969, when 30-year-old Rod Laver defeated 34-year-old Ken Rosewall. Wawrinka is the 2nd player in the Open Era to reach multiple Roland Garros finals after turning 30 – after Rosewall in 1968-69. Nadal is the 8th different player in the Open Era to reach a Roland Garros final after turning 30.
WAWRINKA is bidding to win his 4th Grand Slam title and his 2nd at Roland Garros.
Wawrinka is bidding to become the 2nd man in the Open Era to win their first 4 Grand Slam finals after Roger Federer, who won his first 7 Grand Slam finals. As well as Federer and Wawrinka, 4 other men in the Open Era – Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Stefan Edberg and Gustavo Kuerten – won their first 3 Grand Slam finals, but all (except Kuerten, who didn’t reach another final) finished runner-up in their 4th.
Aged 32 years 75 days, Wawrinka is bidding to become the 3rd oldest man in the Open Era to win Roland Garros after 34-year-old Andres Gimeno in 1972 and 33-year-old Ken Rosewall in 1968. He is looking to become the first man in the Open Era to win multiple Roland Garros titles after turning 30.
Wawrinka, who won 2015 Roland Garros aged 30 years 71 days and the 2016 US Open aged 31 years 167 days, is looking to become the 3rd man in the Open Era to win 3 or more Grand Slams titles after turning 30. Rod Laver and Rosewall are the only men to have won 3 or more Grand Slam titles after turning 30.
NADAL is bidding to become the first player, man or woman, in the Open Era – and only the 2nd player in history – to win 10 titles at any Grand Slam event. Margaret Court is the only player in history to have won 10 or more titles at one Grand Slam event, winning the Australian title on 11 occasions in 1960-66, 1969-71, and 1973.
Nadal is bidding to further extend the record he set at 2013 Roland Garros for the most men’s Grand Slam titles at any one event.
Nadal is looking to win his 15th Grand Slam title and take sole ownership of 2nd place on the all-time list for most Grand Slam titles won ahead of Pete Sampras.
If he wins today, at 31 years 8 days Nadal will be the oldest player – man or woman – in history to win 15 Grand Slam titles.
SUNDAY FRENCH OPEN SCHEDULE
Philippe-Chatrier Court 11:30 AM Start
Women’s Doubles Final
Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA)/Lucie Safarova (CZE) [1] vs. Ashleigh Barty (AUS)/Casey Dellacqua (AUS)
Not Before: 3:00 PM
Men’s Singles – Final
Stan Wawrinka (SUI) [3] vs.R afael Nadal (ESP) [4]
WEATHER.COM SUNDAY FORECAST
Partly cloudy. Hot. High 87F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.
BET AT HOME ODDS
Stan Wawrinka 4.70 v Rafael Nadal 1.18
US TV SCHEDULE
NBC will have live coverage of the match starting at 9:00am ET.
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