Clay is the pure floor for Spanish gamers, with about 100,000 courts throughout the nation – most small villages have them.
So it’s not stunning that Nadal emerged as the most recent in an extended line of Spanish success – albeit way more sustained than his predecessors – at Roland Garros.
Nadal’s 14 wins, plus triumphs for Sergi Bruguera (two), Carlos Moya, Albert Costa and Juan Carlos Ferrero, means the nation has accounted for 19 of the previous 30 males’s champions.
Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time main winner who’s the Spanish inheritor obvious to Nadal, is predicted so as to add to that within the coming years.
Wandering round Courtroom Philippe Chatrier – significantly earlier than Nadal performed a French Open remaining – felt like being exterior the Santiago Bernabeu within the build-up to an enormous Actual Madrid match.
Spanish audio system will be heard in every single place, chattering in regards to the prospect of seeing one of many nation’s favorite sons creating extra historical past.
Splashes of crimson and yellow are ubiquitous on flags, soccer kits and hats. Tremendous-fans put on Nadal-branded ‘raging bull’ hats and t-shirts.
Ferrero, the 2001 champion, says it appears like a house from dwelling.
“Roland Garros is the closest Grand Slam and the truth that it’s held on clay makes it even nearer to Spain,” he mentioned.
“The truth that Spanish gamers have received it so much, and particularly because of Nadal, [means] tennis followers relate Roland Garros with good moments for Spanish tennis.”