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Article: FRENCH OPEN: Teen-age French Open champion could write a page in tennis history
- Article from:
- Charleston Daily Mail
- Article date:
- June 6, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2005 Charleston Daily Mail. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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PARIS - Rafael Nadal is the French Open champion, no?
Well, yes.
No became yes - or si, that is - on a cloudy afternoon at Roland
Garros. The question became an emphatic answer when the fourth-
seeded Nadal of Spain fulfilled his destiny and vast expectations,
defeating unseeded Mariano Puerta of Argentina, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-1, 7-
5, in the French Open final Sunday.
Nadal celebrated, again, as he did after defeating Roger Federer
of Switzerland in the semifinals, by wearing clay on his back,
dropping to the dirt when Puerta finally succumbed after 3 hours 24
minutes by pushing a forehand wide. He won the title in his first
attempt, matching the feat of Mats Wilander, who also needed four
sets ...