Boris Becker declares Rafael Nadal’s 14-time Roland Garros winning record as ‘one of the best ever’ in any sport

Boris Becker gives an in-depth insight into Rafael Nadal's mastery at Roland Garros.

Boris Becker declares Rafael Nadal’s 14-time Roland Garros winning record as ‘one of the best ever’ in any sport

Boris Becker, Rafael Nadal (Images via Imago)

Tennis legend Boris Becker has lauded Rafael Nadal’s incredible Roland Garros record. The Spaniard has won the clay Grand Slam an astonishing 14 times, losing only three times in 19 years at the second Grand Slam of the year.

In an interview with CNN, Becker explained the significance of Nadal’s achievement at Roland Garros. The Spaniard didn’t defend his title last season as he was on the road to hip surgery.

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You win it five times, that’s a lot. You win it 10 times, it’s impossible. Nadal’s won it 14 times. I don’t know any other record in any other sport that equals that.
Boris Becker said in an interview with CNN

Nadal’s first Roland Garros title came in 2005 when he beat Mariano Puerta in four sets. The King of Clay won three more slams on the Paris red dirt before losing his first match at the 2009 French Open to Robin Soderling.

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Nadal returned to winning ways the following year, avenging his loss to the Swede by beating him in the final. After that, he won four more Roland Garros titles, taking his tally to nine titles in Paris. After a couple of years without winning the second slam, he claimed his 10th title in Paris in 2017. He increased his tally to 14 Roland Garros titles in 2022 by beating Casper Ruud in the final.

How does Rafael Nadal’s Roland Garros dominance compare with other tennis achievements?

The tennis world has been forever debating who is the greatest of all time between Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. Usually, when fingers point to Nadal, the biggest factor supporting this claim is his dominance at Roland Garros. The Spaniard has won the clay slam a record 14 times. The more the fans say it, the more incredible it becomes.

Roger Federer Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic
Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer (via IMAGO)

However, Federer and Djokovic have their own significant achievements to support their cases. The Swiss Maestro has won five consecutive Wimbledon titles and repeated that feat at the US Open, the only man in the Open Era to do so. Additionally, he has held the World No. 1 ranking for a record 237 consecutive weeks.

Similarly, Djokovic, to date, has spent over 420 weeks at the top of the ATP rankings, more than 100 weeks ahead of second-ranked Federer. Moreover, he has the most Grand Slam titles on the men’s circuit with 24. So, whichever side the fans are on, they have their reasons to back their arguments.

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