Roland Garros: Spanish players who claimed the title

The World of tennis has given us top athletes from all around the world and we have enjoyed some great players who have gone on to have legendary careers. Most of these players have come from every part of the world and have etched their names in the history of the game. We have got great players from all the 7 continents of the world who we have cherished for a long time and have continued to show support.

Though there have been a lot of tennis-playing countries, it is Spain who has given us the most exciting players, especially in the Roland Garros tournament. This Grand Slam tournament has been dominated by Spanish players who have enjoyed playing on clay their entire lives and have asserted their dominance in the game completely. It is safe to say that the Clay season finale has a massive influence on the Spanish players.

So here are all the Spanish players who have got a Roland Garros/French Open title to their name:

8. Andres Gimeno

Andres Gimeno was one of the upcoming talents in Spain in the 70's and was playing some great tennis during his career. Unfortunately, he did not have much luck in his career as he used to fail in the knockouts of major tournaments every time. Gimeno finally got his break in 1972 when he beat Patrick Proisey to get his hands on his first-ever Grand Slam tournament in Paris. This was one of the greatest moments for Gimeno in his career.

7. Albert Costa

Albert Costa was one of the surprise packages of 2002 that we never expected to win the Grand Slam which was filled with some big players in the mix. Being the 20th-seeded player, most people would think that a quarter-final finish was more than enough for the player. However, he not only beat some of the highest-seeded players but also ensured one of the biggest upsets of the tournament by beating Spanish legend Juan Carlos Ferrero in the finals. This also ensured that he entered the top 10 rankings of the ATP.

6. Carlos Moya

The 1998 French Open was one of the most shocking tournaments we had ever witnessed where most of the top-seeded players in the tournaments were struggling. This was also the tournament where we were introduced to Carlos Moya, who became one of the biggest sensations of Spanish tennis when he went on to win the title in the 1998 season. Carlos Moya from that day became a prodigy to look forward to and also became the World number 1.

5. Juan Carlos Ferrero

Juan Carlos Ferrero might have not gone on to win multiple grand slams during his time, but will still be considered one of the best players Spain has ever produced. Ferrero went on to win the Roland Garros title in 2003 and also went on to become the world number 1 that season. He has also gone on to share and accomplish a lot as a coach as well, making him an iconic figure in Spanish tennis we will always remember.

4. Carlos Alcaraz

How can we forget the triumphant victory where Carlos Alcaraz finally completed his childhood dream by winning his first-ever Roland Garros title even after being injured for most of the Clay season? This is also where he became the youngest player to win Grand Slams on all three surfaces. This was one of the best performances from Alcaraz and we hope to see him keep performing this season and probably become the next big star of the tennis world which he is destined to be.

3. Sergi Bruguera

This is another Spanish star who was destined for greatness as well and though he did not reach the ultimate peak of his career, he still managed to be amongst the best in the world for some time. Sergi Bruguera was playing among some of the most dominant players in the 90's and went on to give some of his best performances in 1993 and 1994 where he won consecutive French Open titles and also got the better of the legendary Jim Courier as well.

2. Manuel Santana

People say that if Nadal was the reason Spanish tennis was at its peak, Manuel Santana was the reason Spanish tennis was born and started the reign from the French Open itself. It was 1961 when we saw Santana become the first Spanish player to win the Roland Garros in 1961, beating the likes of Roy Emerson and Nicola Pietrangali. Santana also went on to win this title after 3 years in 1964, when he got the better of the Italian once again. Santana is one of the biggest Spanish legends we can never forget.

1. Rafael Nadal

How can we forget the King Of Clay himself, who took the game to another level altogether? Rafael Nadal will always be remembered as one of the best players in the game we have ever seen. From the time he set foot in the Roland Garros, he started his reign of terror on his opponents, where he was almost invincible. Nadal went on to win 14 French Open titles and has the best record in the tournament losing only on four occasions. No player has come close to his record in the Clay season finale and our hearts he will always be remembered as the king.