The King of Clay Storms to Another Title

    Like a championship boxer rebounding before the final bell, Rafael Nadal threw an uppercut to Novak Djokovic's chances to win a fourth consecutive Grand Slam, winning his seventh French Open title in four sets and ending talk of a "Novak Slam."
    Djokovic was looking to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four of tennis' major titles at the same time. Laver won each title in the same season, meaning Djokovic's run did not hold quite the same mystique but still dominated headlines. His quest may have even overshadowed Nadal's run for a record-setting title. Since Nadal is 222-9 on red clay since 2005, there was a sense that Nadal would be in contention for another title.
    At least in the media's eyes, the near-invincibility of Rafael Nadal is Paris, shifted the pressure to squarely on Djokovic's shoulders. After a few years of playing third wheel to the intense rivalry between Roger Federer and Nadal, Djokovic turned the tables last year with one of the greatest single seasons in men's tennis history. With three Grand Slam titles in 2011, the rivalry shifted to Djokovic-Nadal, and these two have now met in four straight major finals.
    After Nadal dismissed Djokovic in straight sets in Monte Carlo and Rome leading into Paris, the tennis world could sense the tables starting to turn toward the King of Clay on familiar soil. 
    With punishing topspin strokes, Nadal breezed through his opponents in quick fashion, winning every set heading into a much-anticipated clash with Djokovic who nearly lost on multiple occasions along the way.
    Djokovic dropped the first two sets to Andreas Seppi, an Italian player who has been hanging consistently in the top 30. Finding his form in the third set, the Serbian battled back to win in five sets. Little did he know, perhaps a tougher test awaited him in the quarterfinals. With the French crowd cheering on countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Djokovic fiercely saved four match points to escape in five sets.
     After two comeback wins, Federer to be an easy opponent by comparison, falling in straights to sets to Djokovic.
    In a match steep in history, the world number one, Djokovic faced off against Nadal. Djokovic seemed lost in the first two sets, perhaps burdened by the possibility of winning four consecutive majors against Nadal and his vicious topspin, only accentuated by the red clay. After consistent rain, the court started to slow and the balls became heavier, meaning Nadal's high-bouncing balls were now landing directly in Djokovic's strike zone, enabling the Serbian to rebound, taking the third set 6-2, and leading the fourth set 2-1 before the match was postponed. With the court now dry and Nadal rested, the Spaniard quickly regained momentum, taking the clinching fourth set, 7-5.
    As if Nadal needed any more evidence as to why he could be considered the greatest player on clay in men's tennis history, his seventh title at Roland Garros gave him sole possession of the record for most French Open titles, passing Bjorn Borg.
    With just eight days until Wimbledon, the tennis world will now shift to London for an intriguing major where Roger Federer could potentially break through for another title to add to an impressive resume as arguably the greatest player to step on a tennis court.