Tennis · 2005 · Paris, France
Nadal's First French Open
A 19-year-old Rafael Nadal wins the French Open on his tournament debut, then goes on to win it thirteen more times.
Nadal def. Puerta, 7-5 in the 4th
Result
19
Age
14 (record)
Eventual French Open titles
Rafael Nadal arrived at the 2005 French Open at 19, already on a 24-match winning streak on clay that spring, and beat Roger Federer in the semi-final on his 19th birthday to reach his first Grand Slam final on his tournament debut.
In the final, Mariano Puerta earned two set points serving at 5-4 in the fourth, only for Nadal to save both with aggressive returns and close the set out 7-5, sealing a 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 victory and a first Grand Slam title. Only Mats Wilander, in 1982, had previously won the French Open on his first appearance in the main draw.
He went on to win at Roland Garros 14 times in total. No player has dominated a single Grand Slam event on that scale in any era, and the number gets quoted whenever anybody tries.
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