"RAFAEL NADAL CAN DO IT... IT'S ICONIC, I DON'T KNOW IF IT CAN BE DONE AGAIN" - WHEN SERENA WILLIAMS BACKED SPANIARD TO WIN 10TH FRENCH OPEN TITLE

Serena Williams once expressed confidence in Rafael Nadal's ability to extend his dominance at the French Open. Her conviction was well-founded, as Nadal entered the 2015 edition of the claycourt Major as the five-time defending champion.

The 2015 French Open represented a significant juncture in both players' careers, as Williams pursued the milestone of her 20th Grand Slam title while the Spaniard sought his record-extending 10th Roland Garros title.

Ahead of their respective campaigns, Serena Williams pondered the "amazing" prospect of Rafael Nadal clinching his 10th title at the claycourt Major, drawing a parallel to Martina Navratilova's remarkable nine Wimbledon titles.

Williams backed the 'King of Clay' to achieve the extraordinary feat, if not in 2015, then in the following year. The American also emphasized that the accomplishment would be "iconic" for the sport and expressed her belief that it would likely remain unmatched.

"It's amazing. I mean, in sport, it's never been done before. I mean, I think Martina Navratilova did 9 at Wimbledon, which is amazing. And then now he has opportunity to do 10 at Roland Garros; nonetheless, just makes it that much more difficult," she said in her pre-tournament press conference.

"Honestly, I feel like he can do it. If he doesn't do it this year, he can do it next year. He's young enough to have an opportunity to get to that number, and it's just -- I think tennis and for sport in general, it's iconic. I don't know if it can be done again," she added.

Serena Williams eventually concluded her illustrious career with 23 Grand Slam titles to her name, while Rafael Nadal currently holds 14 French Open titles.

Serena Williams clinched 20th Grand Slam crown at French Open 2015; Rafael Nadal faltered in his quest for 10th title

Rafael Nadal entered the 2015 French Open as the five-time defending champion and the outright favorite to clinch his record-extending 10th title at the Major, despite going trophy-less during the European claycourt season.

The Spaniard delivered on expectations in the early rounds, beating Quentin Halys, Nicolas Almagro, Andrey Kuznetsov and Jack Sock to reach the quarterfinals, having dropped just one set.

However, Novak Djokovic put an end to Nadal's aspirations in the quarterfinals with a commanding 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 victory, claiming his first-ever win over the Spaniard at the French Open.

Serena Williams, meanwhile, entered the Major as the top seed, kicking off her campaign with a dominant 6-2, 6-3 win over Andrea Hlavackova. She then triumphed over Anna-Lena Friedsam, Victoria Azarenka and Sloane Stephens to book her place in the quarterfinals.

Subsequently, the American defeated Sara Errani 6-1, 6-3, and secured a 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 win over Timea Bacsinszky to reach the final. Williams then emerged victorious against Lucie Safarova in the title clash, winning 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-2 to clinch her 20th Grand Slam title.

2024-05-09T01:01:52Z dg43tfdfdgfd