Has Roger Federer Defeated Rafael Nadal at French Open?

20-time Grand Slam champions Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are two of the most profound rivals in the sports fraternity. While the former is the greatest on Grass, the latter is the King of Clay. And it is their varied playing styles that have made their battles on a tennis court unforgettable.

However, when it comes to the Spaniard, his dominance at Roland-Garros is unrivaled. To put things in perspective, Nadal has won the French Open 13 times in the last 16 years. Thus, to defeat him on Paris soil is an exceptional tennis achievement in itself.

It begs the most obvious question. Is the 103 ATP titles winner Federer one of the rare few to win against Nadal at Roland-Garros?

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French Open: Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer (2005-2011)

Nadal and Federer have locked horns together at Roland-Garros on six occasions so far. These six encounters include four finals and two semifinals.

It all started in 2005, where the Spanish and the Swiss fought for a place in the final. After battling for four sets, Nadal came through comfortably, winning the match 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. He also became the eventual winner, defeating Mariano Puerta in four sets.

Next year, Federer showed great promise against the Spaniard in the 2006 French Open final. But despite winning the first set 1-6, he gave away the next three 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(4).

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The outcome did not change when they met again in the French Open final in 2007; the Spaniard won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. So far, the Swiss maestro was 0-3 against Nadal at Stade Roland Garros.

Following that, things turned for worse in 2008 for the Basel-born player. In their third continuous final at Roland-Garros, Nadal bageled Federer and won in straight sets 6-1, 6-3, 6-0.

Finally, the long-awaited day came for Roger as he lifted the French Open in 2009. However, he couldn’t beat Nadal on his way to the title as the Spaniard lost in the fourth round to finalist Robin Soderling.

After a break of two years, FEDAL came face to face in the 2011 Roland-Garros final. Once again, Federer could only snatch one set, losing the title 7-5, 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-1.

Federer and Nadal at 2019 Roland-Garros

After 2011, the Spanish-Swiss matchup in French Open took place in the 2019 semifinals. Nadal maintained his clean record even then, defeating Federer 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Overall, the Spaniard has a 14-2 standing on clay surface against the Swiss maestro.

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If you are now wondering if Nadal has beaten Federer at Wimbledon, then the answer is yes. The Spaniard beat the record eight-time champion in the 2008 Wimbledon Championships final 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7.

At present, both are on the entry list for the 2021 Roland-Garros. So, Federer still has a one-in-a-million shot in achieving the inconceivable.