Nadal takes French Open in thrilling final

RAFAEL NADAL clinched his first grand slam crown yesterday with a thrilling victory over Mariano Puerta at the French Open.

Nadal lost the first set on the tie-break but battled back well to seal a 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 6-1 7-5 triumph in three hours 24 minutes.

The 19-year-old is the first man to win on his Roland Garros debut since Mats Wilander in 1982.

Puerta had chances to level the match when he held three set points at 5-4 in the fourth but Nadal, displaying extraordinary athleticism, kept plugging away and eventually got the break. He then held before breaking Puerta again to take the title.

The final hinged on a pulsating game late in the fourth set.

Puerta broke to lead 5-4 and had the opportunity to serve to take the match into a decider. But, following a string of wonderful rallies, Nadal hit back to level at 5-5.

Puerta, on the comeback trail after serving a nine-month steroid suspension, appeared deflated and had no answer as Nadal held on before breaking again to seal the match.

After being presented with the trophy by Real Madrid’s former France midfielder Zinedine Zidane, Nadal said: “This is incredible, this is my dream coming true. I would like to thank the King and Queen of Spain for coming here as well as all the people who have supported me the past two weeks. Without them I could not have managed.

“I would also like to congratulate Mariano for his achievements here. It was an unbelievable match and I had to play my best tennis.

“I thought I was going to lose after he won the first set, I really thought he could win. Tomorrow I fly to Halle to prepare for Wimbledon.

“I like grass a lot even if I don’t play my best tennis on the surface and I want to improve.”

Puerta said: “There are so many things to say that I don’t know where to start. Congratulations to Rafael who is a fantastic player. I may not have won the tournament but it is just fantastic for me to be here.”

Meanwhile, Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne hailed “a great achievement” after she hammered Mary Pierce 6-1 6-1 in the final of the French Open on Saturday to cap her return her fitness.

Henin-Hardenne took just over an hour to sweep to a straight-sets victory over home favourite Pierce, and collect the Roland Garros trophy for the second time in three years.

Stricken with glandular fever after winning the 2004 Australian Open, Henin-Hardenne struggled all year, although she miraculously managed to win gold at the Athens Olympics.