{"id":4998,"date":"2013-06-09T23:26:19","date_gmt":"2013-06-09T23:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigeria-news\/history-maker-nadal-wins-8th-french-open-title\/"},"modified":"2013-06-09T23:26:19","modified_gmt":"2013-06-09T23:26:19","slug":"history-maker-nadal-wins-8th-french-open-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/history-maker-nadal-wins-8th-french-open-title\/","title":{"rendered":"History maker Nadal wins 8th French Open title"},"content":{"rendered":"
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David Ferrer- ruminates over loss to Nadal<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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File Photo: Rafael Nadal: record eighth French title<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Rafael Nadal won the French Open for a record eighth time on Sunday by defeating fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in the final.<\/p>\n

It was the first time in tennis history that a man had won the same Grand Slam title eight times.<\/p>\n

Not even a security breach, prevented him to become the first man to capture the same Grand Slam title eight times.<\/p>\n

Nadal claimed his 12th major with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win over his Spanish compatriot who was playing in his first Grand Slam final at the age of 31 and at the 42nd time of asking.<\/p>\n

It also gave Nadal his 59th win out of 60 matches played in Paris.<\/p>\n

However, the 27-year-old’s push to victory suffered a heart-stopping moment when a protestor, naked from the waist up, leapt from the stands on Court Philippe Chatrier, carrying a flare and protesting France’s controversial same sex marriage law.<\/p>\n

The protestor, who was wrestled away by security staff, came within just a few feet of the Spaniard as he prepared to serve at 5-1 in the second set.<\/p>\n

A burly security official immediately came to Nadal’s aid in front of the VIP box where Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt and Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio were watching.<\/p>\n

The drama, however, didn’t alter the outcome as Nadal claimed his seventh title of 2013 after returning to the tour in February following a seven-month injury lay-off.<\/p>\n

“Thanks to everyone in my family and team. Without their support, especially when I was out of action, this would have been impossible,” said Nadal.<\/p>\n

“Thanks also to everyone who sent me messages on Twitter and Facebook. They all gave me positive energy for today.”<\/p>\n

Ferrer had raced through the first game to love, but it was the champion who broke first for 2-1 when his compatriot unleashed a wild forehand.<\/p>\n

Ferrer, showing all the attributes which gave the nickname of ‘bloodhound’, was level in the next game at 2-2 and with both sluggers evenly matched, it was going to take something out of the top drawer to settle the opening set.<\/p>\n

Nadal produced it right on cue, flashing a superbly controlled, sliding backhand on the move, from 10 metres behind the baseline, past the advancing Ferrer.<\/p>\n

Nadal backed it up in the ninth game when a double fault from Ferrer handed him a set point which translated into the a first-set advantage when the veteran dumped a weak backhand into the net.<\/p>\n

Ferrer hadn’t dropped a set in the tournament and had spent six hours fewer on court getting to his maiden final.<\/p>\n

But he was in serious trouble and he knew it, suddenly confronted by Nadal’s record of 145 wins against just three losses when he had won the first set of a Grand Slam match.<\/p>\n

Their personal history was also stacked against him with just four wins against 19 defeats coming into Sunday’s final.<\/p>\n

Sixteen of those losses were on clay and Ferrer’s only victory on the surface was way back in 2004 in the pair’s first meeting when Nadal was still a raw 16-year-old.<\/p>\n

In no time at all, and with light drizzle falling, the champion was 3-0 ahead in the second set as a love-service game backed up a break which had been secured with a pair of sharp forehands.<\/p>\n

Ferrer halted Nadal’s six-game streak for 3-1 but was unable to convert four break points of his own in the fifth game, a marathon duel which included a 29-shot rally.<\/p>\n

Nadal was 5-1 up and preparing to serve for the second set when a spectator, naked from the waist up, leapt from the stands carrying a flare just feet from where Nadal was standing.<\/p>\n

The intruder, with the words ‘Childrens rights’ written across his chest, was wrestled away from the court.<\/p>\n

The final had already been held up by protestors high up in the stands holding up placards demonstrating against France’s same sex marriage law.<\/p>\n

Nadal was broken but it made little difference to the outcome.<\/p>\n

He hit back for 5-3 on Ferrer’s fifth double fault and wrote his name into history when he unleashed another crosscourt winner.<\/p>\n

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