Newz Forum: OTHER: TENNIS: King of clay Rafael Nadal wins French Open at 19

I didn't have the chance to catch any of the French Open at all this year, but it seems like we have a new star amongst us. He is the youngest Grand Slam champion since Micheal Chang, way back in 1989, when Rafael was just 3 years old.


Yahoo! sports

Red dust caked Nadal from his hair to his sneakers after his French Open triumph Sunday, the charismatic teen who plays with a pugnacious smirk holding both dirty hands up to a beaming King Juan Carlos of Spain in the box above.

On this day, the scruffy Spanish kid with tears in his eyes assumed his own moment of majesty.
"All the work you've been doing during all those years, the sacrifices, when you reach your goal, it's an extraordinary moment,'' Nadal said. "For the first time I cried after winning a match.''

In a match as enthralling as it was brilliantly played, Nadal overcame an inspired performance by unseeded Argentine Mariano Puerta, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-1, 7-5, to become the youngest men's Grand Slam champion since Michael Chang won the French at 17 in 1989.