By The Associated Press

NOTE: Prior to 1925, the French Open was restricted to French players.</s>PARIS - Rafael Nadal made tennis history at the French Open on Sunday when he became the first player in the Open Era to win the same Grand Slam title 10 times in his career.

The 31-year-old Nadal offered no mercy to Stan Wawrinka, the 2015 French Open champion, in putting on a strategic and impenetrable clay court clinic to capture his 15th overall Grand Slam title 6-2, 6-3, 6-1.

Nadal, who dropped to the court and covered his eyes when Wawrinka netted the final shot, saved the one break point he faced in the third game of the first set. It was the only opportunity he presented the Swiss in the 2 hour, 5 minute match.

"The feeling that I have here is impossible to describe, impossible to compare to other places," Nadal said on court after the victory, brushing away tears. "The adrenaline and nerves I feel on this court I can't describe. This is the most important event in my career, without a doubt."

Nadal has never lost a final at the French Open. His 79-2 record in Paris is the best in French Open history. He lost in the fourth round in 2009 and the quarterfinals in 2015. Last year he withdrew from a third-round match with a wrist injury.

This was Nadal’s first Grand Slam title since he won his ninth French Open in 2014. The Spaniard just lost out on winning this year’s Australian Open trophy after surrendering a lead in the fifth set of the final to Roger Federer.

Six men in history have claimed seven trophies at the same Grand Slam, including Pete Sampras and Federer, in the Open Era, who won seven Wimbledon titles apiece.</s>His clay-court prowess as unassailable as ever, Rafael Nadal won his record 10th French Open title by dominating 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 in the final Sunday.

No other man or woman has won 10 championships at the same major in the Open era, which began in 1968.

The 31-year-old Nadal was overwhelmingly good from start to finish against Wawrinka — and over the past two weeks en route to La Decima, Spanish for “10th.”

Not only did Nadal win every set he played in the tournament, he dropped a total of only 35 games, the second fewest by any man on the way to any title at a Grand Slam tournament in the Open era with all matches being best-of-five-sets.

Along with improving to 10-0 in finals at Roland Garros, Nadal increased his career haul to 15 Grand Slam trophies, breaking a tie with Pete Sampras for second place in the history of men's tennis, behind only rival Roger Federer's 18.

It marked a stirring return to the top for Nadal in his favorite event and on his favorite surface: Over his career, he is now 79-2 at the French Open and 102-2 in all best-of-five-set matches on clay.

A year ago in Paris, Nadal surprisingly withdrew before the third round because of a wrist injury, making the announcement at a news conference while wearing a blue brace on his left arm and a look of resignation of his face. He couldn't bring himself to watch much of the rest of the 2016 French Open, he said, other than some doubles matches involving a good pal, and the singles final.

Finally back to full strength in the offseason, Nadal returned to work, reconstructing his forehand and redoubling his efforts to get back to his best.

Well, he sure proved to be precisely that Sunday, when the conditions were exactly to the liking of a guy who grew up on the island of Mallorca. The sun was shining, there was barely a trace of cloud in the bright blue sky and the temperature was about 85 degrees (30 Celsius).

Wawrinka is no slouch; he owns three major titles, including one from Roland Garros, and had never lost a Grand Slam final. But a five-set semifinal win Friday over No. 1-ranked Andy Murray must have taken something out of the 32-year-old from Switzerland, the oldest French Open finalist since 1973. His shots didn't have their usual verve, his legs their usual spring. After one point Sunday, Wawrinka bent over, leaning one arm on his racket and resting the other on a knee.

Instead of pointing to his right temple, as he often does after key points won, Wawrinka kept rubbing his forehead or running his fingers through his hair after key points lost. When he netted a forehand to close a 14-stroke back-and-forth in the second set, he pounded his strings on his head several times.

Nadal has that way of wearing down opponents. On this day, he was nearly perfect. He won all 12 service games, saving the lone break point he faced, and made a mere 12 unforced errors.

When it ended, Nadal dropped to his back on the clay, then rose and briefly pulled his blue shirt over his face. He was again the champion, again unbeatable at the French Open.</s>On Friday, he ran up against an inspired Stan Wawrinka, who halted Murray’s considerable progress from the start of the clay court season with a 6-7, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6, 6-1 victory in 4 hr 34 min. While the Scot’s fierce rival Novak Djokovic left Roland Garros hinting at a break and wondering when he would see his coach Andre Agassi again, Murray knows it is nose straight back down to the grindstone and to that end, instead of flying home, coach Ivan Lendl has headed straight back to London alongside him. The pair will head straight off to practise at Queen’s, where Murray will defend his title next week in the build up to launching his defence of Wimbledon itself on July 3. Because according to Wawrinka, who Murray beat in four sets at the same stage of the French Open the previous year, the 30-year-old still has some work to do to get back to 2016 levels.

“This time I think he was less confident,” Wawrinka said after his win on Friday. “He played a bit less fast. He was a little more hesitant, and that gave me a bit more time to actually install my game. “When you start hesitating, you don't necessarily make the right picks. Sometimes he was very smart at shooting good balls, which made me hesitate. “But last year, he was much more aggressive. Last year, he was stronger. He never really let me install my game and that is really what I struggled with and found so frustrating last year.” Victory for Wawrinka gives him a chance to edge ahead of Murray’s tally of three grand slam wins – although he admits he has no idea how nerves will affect him ahead of his final with Rafa Nadal.

Having breezed through his French Open success in 2014, he admitted to feeling the pressure far more ahead of his successes in Australia and the US Open in successive years. “The first one I was completely happy and relaxed before the final, even when I entered the court,” he said. “The only time I got stressed, that's when I saw that I could win the Grand Slam. “The two others I was completely stressed, nervous, close to break-down before the final. I was thinking that it might be my last final of Grand Slam to get the title. So I was really tough with my team and with myself before the final. “The most important is when you enter the courts to focus on what you have to do, what you did in the practice court, what you did during the two weeks, and try to just focus on the game point by point. And that's the only way you can win a Grand Slam final.” However, nine-times French Open champion will Nadal will need no lectures about how to do that.</s>PARIS — Stan Wawrinka battered the ball as if each swing would determine the outcome of his French Open semifinal against No. 1 Andy Murray.

For much of their 41/2 hours of compelling, lengthy and draining points, Murray was up to the task, relentlessly defending and making Wawrinka hit shot after shot after shot. Eventually, the resolute Wawrinka’s offense prevailed. Not bad for an old guy, huh?

Forced to come back twice from a set behind, and never easing up on his go-for-it, attacking style, 2015 champion Wawrinka at last pulled away to beat Murray 6-7 (6), 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-1 on Friday and become the oldest men’s finalist at Roland Garros in 44 years.

“You expect him to hit a lot of balls, for sure. I wasn’t always happy with that,” Wawrinka said through a grin. “You know what his game is, you know how well he can play, and you need to accept it. You need to, as I say, keep pushing yourself.”

Now comes an even tougher task, something the No. 3-seeded Wawrinka, a 32-year-old from Switzerland nicknamed “Stan the Man,” called “probably the biggest challenge you can have in tennis.” He will face Rafael Nadal in the French Open final.

Nadal reached a 10th final at his favorite tournament – he’s 9-0 so far – by overwhelming No. 6 Dominic Thiem of Austria 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 in barely 2 hours.

“Nine or 10 is only 10 percent more,” Nadal joked, when asked about the historic nature of his bid to become the first man to win 10 titles at any major.

He has dropped a measly total of 29 games through six matches, back to his dominating best on clay after withdrawing from the French Open before the third round a year ago with an injured left wrist.

“I don’t care about the games I lost or not, or sets, or these kind of things,” Nadal said. “Only thing I care (about) is I have been playing very well during the whole event.”

It will be Nadal’s 22nd Grand Slam final overall, breaking a tie with Novak Djokovic for second behind Roger Federer’s 28. If Nadal wins the championship on Sunday, it’ll be his 15th at a major, breaking a tie with Pete Sampras for second behind Federer’s 18.

Wawrinka, meanwhile, heads to his fourth Grand Slam final. He’s won the previous three, beating Nadal at the Australian Open in 2014, and Djokovic at Roland Garros two years ago and the U.S. Open last September.

“I’m extremely confident about what I do, about how I feel, about all the hard work I have accomplished over the past days, weeks, months, years,” said Wawrinka, winner of a career-best 10 consecutive matches. “I know that mentally, when I’m there, it’s difficult to beat me.”

A year ago at the French Open, Wawrinka lost to Murray in the semifinals. This time, Wawrinka wore down the seemingly tireless Murray, also a three-time major champion.</s>His clay-court prowess as unassailable as ever, Rafael Nadal won his record 10th French Open title by dominating 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 in the final Sunday.

No other man or woman has won 10 championships at the same major in the Open era, which began in 1968.

The 31-year-old Nadal was overwhelmingly good from start to finish against Wawrinka -- and over the past two weeks en route to La Decima, Spanish for "10th." Not only did Nadal win every set he played in the tournament, he dropped a total of only 35 games, the second fewest by any man on the way to any title at a Grand Slam tournament in the Open era with all matches being best-of-five-sets.

Along with improving to 10-0 in finals at Roland Garros, Nadal increased his career haul to 15 Grand Slam trophies, breaking a tie with Pete Sampras for second place in the history of men's tennis, behind only rival Roger Federer's 18.

It marked a stirring return to the top for Nadal in his favorite event and on his favorite surface: Over his career, he is now 79-2 at the French Open and 102-2 in all best-of-five-set matches on clay.

A year ago in Paris, Nadal surprisingly withdrew before the third round because of a wrist injury, making the announcement at a news conference while wearing a blue brace on his left arm and a look of resignation of his face. He couldn't bring himself to watch much of the rest of the 2016 French Open, he said, other than some doubles matches involving a good pal, and the singles final.

Finally back to full strength in the offseason, Nadal returned to work, reconstructing his forehand and redoubling his efforts to get back to his best.

Well, he sure proved to be precisely that Sunday, when the conditions were exactly to the liking of a guy who grew up on the island of Mallorca. The sun was shining, there was barely a trace of cloud in the bright blue sky and the temperature was about 85 degrees (30 Celsius).

Wawrinka is no slouch; he owns three major titles, including one from Roland Garros, and had never lost a Grand Slam final. But a five-set semifinal win Friday over No. 1-ranked Andy Murray must have taken something out of the 32-year-old from Switzerland, the oldest French Open finalist since 1973. His shots didn't have their usual verve, his legs their usual spring. After one point Sunday, Wawrinka bent over, leaning one arm on his racket and resting the other on a knee.

Instead of pointing to his right temple, as he often does after key points won, Wawrinka kept rubbing his forehead or running his fingers through his hard after key points lost. When he netted a forehand to close a 14-stroke back-and-forth in the second set, he pounded his strings on his head several times.

Nadal has that way of wearing down opponents. On this day, he was nearly perfect. He won all 12 service games, saving the lone break point he faced, and made a mere 12 unforced errors.

When it ended, Nadal dropped to his back on the clay, then rose and briefly pulled his blue shirt over his face. He was again the champion, again unbeatable at the French Open.</s>June 11 (Reuters) - List of men's singles champions at the French Open:

*Scores not published until after 1924 (Compiled by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Clare Fallon)</s>Rafael Nadal enters the 2017 French Open finals with a chance to win his 10th Grand Slam title at Roland Garros on Sunday at 9 a.m. ET against Stan Wawrinka.

Nadal holds a 15-3 record against Wawrinka in all-time matchups with both men looking to move up in the world rankings.

If Nadal is able to secure the victory for his 15th career Grand Slam title, he will be just three back from all-time leader Roger Federer with 18. The King of Clay secured a spot in his 22nd major final after powering through competition without dropping a set. No. 4 Nadal is on pace to become the first player in the Open era to hoist 10 trophies at a single tournament.

Wawrinka, ranked No. 3 in the world, is looking to improve a streak of his own by continuing a perfect 3-0 record in Grand Slam final appearances. His last three Slam final victories are a U.S. Open win against Novak Djokovic in 2016, a Roland Garros win against Djokovic in 2015 and a win against Nadal in the 2014 Australian Open.

The match begins 9 a.m. ET Sunday. NBC (U.S.) and Eurosport (UK) will televise the match. You can live-stream the action at Roland Garros through NBC Sports Live Extra in the U.S. or Eurosport Player in the UK.

MORE: French Open women's final: Ostapenko stuns Halep for first Grand Slam title

In Nadal's previous matches, his toughest competition has been against No. 6 Dominic Thiem. He proved nothing would get in his way, blowing past Thiem 6-3, 6-4, 6-0. Nadal and his dominant backhand also faced ranked opponents No. 17 Roberto Bautista Agut and No. 20 Pablo Carreno Busta.

Nadal boosts a 17-1 record on clay this year to date, while Wawrinka's record stands at 6-3.

Wawrinka was able to knock off top-ranked Andy Murray in the semifinals in five sets, showing off a strong forehand. His journey to the final also included matches against ranked opponents No. 7 Marin Cilic, No. 15 Gael Monfils and No. 28 Fabio Fognini.

If successful at Roland Garros, Wawrinka also etches his name into record books by becoming the third player to win three or more Grand Slam titles after turning 30 years old.

Sporting News will provide live updates, scores and highlights from the final match beginning on Sunday at 9 a.m. ET.</s>PARIS - Rafael Nadal made tennis history at the French Open on Sunday when he became the first player in the Open Era to win the same Grand Slam title 10 times in his career.

The 31-year-old Nadal offered no mercy to Stan Wawrinka, the 2015 French Open champion, in putting on a strategic and impenetrable clay court clinic to capture his 15th overall Grand Slam title 6-2, 6-3, 6-1.

Nadal, who dropped to the court and covered his eyes when Wawrinka netted the final shot, saved the one break point he faced in the third game of the first set. It was the only opportunity he presented the Swiss in the 2 hour, 5 minute match.

"The feeling that I have here is impossible to describe, impossible to compare to other places," Nadal said on court after the victory, brushing away tears. "The adrenaline and nerves I feel on this court I can't describe. This is the most important event in my career, without a doubt."

Nadal has never lost a final at the French Open. His 79-2 record in Paris is the best in French Open history. He lost in the fourth round in 2009 and the quarterfinals in 2015. Last year he withdrew from a third-round match with a wrist injury.

This was Nadal’s first Grand Slam title since he won his ninth French Open in 2014. The Spaniard just lost out on winning this year’s Australian Open trophy after surrendering a lead in the fifth set of the final to Roger Federer.

Six men in history have claimed seven trophies at the same Grand Slam, including Pete Sampras and Federer, in the Open Era, who won seven Wimbledon titles apiece.</s>PARIS (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal paid tribute to his uncle and coach Toni after winning a record-extending 10th French Open title on Sunday.

"Thanks to my uncle, he's been with me since I was three years old, we've been working a lot and without him I would not have these 10 trophies with me," Nadal said at courtside after being handed the Musketeers Cup by two-time Roland Garros champion Roy Emerson.

Toni Nadal is planning to step down as his nephew's head coach at the end of the season.

The 31-year-old Rafa hailed the French Open as the most special tournament for him.

Since his debut in 2005, he has lost only two matches on the Parisian red clay and he bagged his 79th victory on Sunday by dismantling Swiss Stan Wawrinka 6-2 6-3 6-1 in a one-sided final.

"I try my best in all events but the feeling I have here is impossible to describe," the champion said on Court Philippe Chatrier.

"For me the nerves, the adrenaline I feel when I play on this court is impossible to compare to any other feeling.

"This is the most important event in my career. It is difficult to compare this tournament to any other one. It will always be in my heart.

"Feeling your support is just unbelievable," he told the crowd. "Thank you and see you next time."

Third seed Wawrinka, the 2015 champion who had won all his three previous grand slam finals, was gracious in defeat.

"I would like to congratulate Rafa. Nothing to say about today," he said at courtside.

"You're a big example, what you do tennis, in sport is unbelievable," he told the Spaniard.
In tennis, Rafael Nadal of Spain defeats Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland 6–2, 6–3, 6–1, to win the men's singles at the French Open. It is Nadal's tenth win in the French Open.