King of Clay! Rafael Nadal Makes Tennis History with 12th Undefeated French Open Title

With his third straight French Open win, second straight over Dominic Thiem, Rafael Nadal holds the most titles in tennis history

Published on June 9, 2019 02:45 PM

The King of Clay held on to his throne!

Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal faced off against Austria’s Dominic Thiem in his 12th French Open (Roland-Garros) title on Sunday and made history when he came out victorious, claiming his 12th title overall from the tournament.

“Merci @rolandgarros for this amazing experience,” Nadal, 32, wrote of his win over Thiem on Twitter. “12!! Still can’t believe it.”

The star is undefeated in his French Open appearances and holds the most titles for singles, male or female, in tennis history. This year’s win is his third straight French Open win and second straight win over Thiem, 25.

Sunday’s final was a rematch of the 2018 Roland Garros final in which Nadal also triumphed.

In the four-set match, Nadal held control in the first but lost the second to Thiem. According to the tournament’s website, it was Theim’s first set win against Nadal in four French Open matches. Nadal won the remaining three sets to secure his title.

Fans were quick to congratulate the player on Twitter, one even compiling photos from each of Nadal’s French Open victories.

Another called him a “role model” for others pursuing their goals and dreams.

“Congratulations! Felicitations! Felicidades!!! So happy for you Rafa, you won French Open for the 12th times!” the fan wrote. “You are a legend in this sport and many fans (like me) around the world admire your passion and your attitude. You are a role model.”

The tennis champion recently denied rumors that he and his long-time girlfriend, Mery “Xisca” Perelló, were getting married this month. The couple reportedly got engaged last May but remains tight-lipped about their private life.