[ad_1] The French Open is barely in our rearview mirror when Wimbledon pops up, towering on the horizon. There's precious little time for the players to transition from clay to grass, and they're at the opposite ends of the surface spectrum when it comes to playing properties. That helps explain why the grass segment, which lasts just three weeks, is loaded with 11 tournaments -- six ATP, five WTA.Remember when
[ad_1] The 2019 French Open was a tournament with a split personality. For the first 10 days, surprises were popping like champagne corks in the dining pavilion under mostly bright, calm skies. Then, on the second Wednesday, the rains and wind arrived, wreaking havoc with the schedule, altering the playing conditions and tilting the playing field.It's how things sometimes go at a best-of-five, two-week Grand Slam event, which is why
[ad_1] PARIS -- Toni Nadal, the uncle and longtime coach of Rafael Nadal, was waiting to meet with his nephew after the final at the 2019 French Open on Sunday, ready to congratulate his nephew on his 12th Roland Garros title. It was an achievement Toni described as "incredible" -- especially since Toni Nadal once believed, as most people did, that Bjorn Borg's record of six French Open titles was
[ad_1] PARIS -- When Dominic Thiem gazed into space over Rafael Nadal's shoulder during their brief fraternal hug at the net after their French Open championship match, he could be forgiven for wondering how much further away the horizon lies.Moments later, Nadal bit down lightly on one handle of the silver Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy as per tradition, leaving a few more strands of DNA on the prize he was
[ad_1] PARIS -- For an insight into the mind of Rafael Nadal, it is worth remembering something he said several years ago. It was the 2012 Australian Open, and Nadal, who was already through to the final, was asked about Andy Murray's loss to Novak Djokovic in the other semifinal, a match in which the Briton had led by two sets to one.Murray had the momentum, but mentally he eased
[ad_1] Rafael Nadal has won the French Open for the 12th time in his career, with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 victory Sunday over Dominic Thiem in the final.It is the 18th career Grand Slam title for Nadal, who improved to 93-2 all time at the French Open. He is two shy of matching Roger Federer's record for most men's Grand Slam titles.Nadal, 33, became the first man or woman
[ad_1] PARIS -- Ashleigh Barty decided to take a break from tennis in 2014 to play cricket. After almost two years away, the Australian returned to the tour, and that career choice paid off in a big way Saturday with her first Grand Slam title.The No. 8-seeded Barty took control right at the start of the French Open final and never really let go, beating unseeded 19-year-old Marketa Vondrousova of
[ad_1] PARIS -- She just turned 23, and yet it feels as if we've known Ashleigh Barty forever.Her dimpled smile and businesslike demeanor on court have been familiar sights for years now. She was a junior Wimbledon champion at 15 and a Grand Slam doubles finalist at 16. Any athlete who succeeds that young earns predictable labels -- prodigy, phenom -- and Barty, one of the most well-liked and admired
[ad_1] PARIS -- How do you solve a problem like Rafael Nadal, especially on the clay courts of Roland Garros? It is the question facing Dominic Thiem as the Austrian prepares for Sunday's men's final at the 2019 French Open. The good news is that it's a question he asked himself 12 months ago; the not-so-good news is that he failed to answer it.Only two men have beaten Nadal at
[ad_1] PARIS -- There is no shortage of storylines for Sunday's men's final at the 2019 French Open between No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal and No. 4 Dominic Thiem.Nadal is looking to extend his mind-boggling record of Roland Garros titles to 12, while Thiem is aiming for his first Grand Slam title. This year's final is also a rematch of last year's championship, which Nadal won in straight sets. And
