Headline PH: Nadal beats Soderling for 5th French title

PARIS – Accustomed to being on the move, Rafael Nadal sat restlessly during a changeover one game from his fifth French Open title.

He jiggled his legs, took two bites of a banana, toweled off his arms and face, then rose and finished the job. Soon he was back in the chair and sobbing into the towel, overcome with the emotion that accompanied his accomplishment.

The relentless Spaniard reclaimed his crown Sunday as the King of Clay, avenging his lone Roland Garros defeat by beating Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.

"It's the most emotional day in my career," Nadal told the crowd in French during the trophy ceremony.

His bad memories of 2009 included not only an upset loss to Soderling at Roland Garros, but the separation of his parents and knee tendinitis that contributed to a prolonged slump.

The victory ended his longest Grand Slam drought since winning his first major title at Roland Garros in 2005.

Seeded No. 2, Nadal won with dogged defense, chasing down shots all over the court. He swept seven consecutive games midway through the match and held every serve, saving all eight break points he faced.

Nadal improved to 38-1 at Roland Garros, with the only loss to Soderling in the fourth round a year ago.

"I played my best match against you," Nadal told the big-swinging Swede during the trophy ceremony. "If not, it's going to be impossible to beat you."

By STEVEN WINE,
AP Sports Writer

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