FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 28th, 2020
RAFAEL NADAL, ROGER FEDERER, & NOVAK DJOKOVIC HEADLINE NBC’S CLASSIC FRENCH OPEN COVERAGE, BEGINNING THIS SATURDAY AT 1 P.M. ET
NBC Presents 11 Hours of Classic French Open Finals Over the Next Two Weekends, Highlighted by Nadal, the “King of Clay,” and Federer
This Weekend’s Matches Feature Nadal’s Record-Breaking Seventh French Open Title and Federer’s First and Only Title From Roland-Garros in 2009
Federer-Nadal and Serena Williams-Maria Sharapova Rivalries Highlighted Next Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7 on NBC
Content to Stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 28, 2020 – With the French Open postponed, NBC Sports presents encore presentations of classic French Open finals over the next two weekends, starting this Saturday, May 30 at 1 p.m. ET on NBC.
This weekend’s matches are highlighted by: Rafael Nadal, the “King of Clay,” who holds a record-breaking 12 French Open titles; 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer; 17-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic; and two-time French Open finalist Robin Soderling, who was the first player to defeat Nadal at the French Open. The current “Big Three” of men’s tennis – Federer, Nadal and Djokovic – are the top three players of all-time in terms of Grand Slam singles titles won with Federer holding the record, followed by Nadal (19) and Djokovic.
Commentators for all four encore final matches include: Ted Robinson, John McEnroe and Mary Carillo. Programming will also stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
The complete French Open schedule on NBC over the next two weekends is below:
| DATE | EVENT | TIME (ET) |
| Saturday, May 30 | 2012 French Open Men’s Final | 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. |
| Sunday, May 31 | 2009 French Open Men’s Final | 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. |
| Saturday, June 6 | 2006 French Open Men’s Final | 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. |
| Sunday, June 7 | 2013 French Open Women’s Final | 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. |
Following is a look at this weekend’s French Open men’s finals on NBC:
SATURDAY, MAY 30 – 2012 FRENCH OPEN MEN’S FINAL
In 2012, No. 2 seeded Rafael Nadal defeated top-seeded and first-time Roland-Garros finalist Novak Djokovic, 6–4, 6–3, 2–6, 7–5, for a record-breaking seven titles at Roland-Garros. Nadal’s seventh title surpassed Bjorn Borg for the most men’s singles wins at the French Open and tied Chris Evert’s record for most French Open titles won.
The match was played over two days due to weather delays. When play was suspended due to rain on Sunday, June 10, 2012, Nadal was leading Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 1-2 (in the fourth set) – up two sets to one, while Djokovic led 2–1 in the fourth set. The next day, Nadal was able to regroup and take the fourth set, and ultimately the match, after Djokovic double-faulted on championship point to give Nadal his third consecutive win at Roland-Garros and seventh victory in eight years.
SUNDAY, MAY 31 – 2009 FRENCH OPEN MEN’S FINAL
With an exceptional performance, Swiss star Roger Federer defeated Robin Soderling of Sweden, 6–1, 7–6 (1), 6–4, to win his first and only French Open title. This was Federer’s fourth consecutive French Open final, having lost the previous three to Spanish rival Rafael Nadal. With the win, Federer became the third man in the Open Era (following Laver and Agassi) and sixth overall competitor to complete the career Grand Slam.
No. 23 seeded Soderling greatly exceeded expectations at Roland-Garros, reaching his first Grand Slam final of his career. Leading off Sunday’s NBC broadcast, the conclusion of the tournament’s most shocking match will be shown – Soderling’s victory over four-time defending French Open champion and top-seeded Nadal in the fourth round, 6–2, 6–7 (2), 6–4, 7–6 (2). Women’s tennis legend Martina Navratilova called the Nadal-Soderling match one of the greatest upsets in Grand Slam history.
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French Open encore coverage continues next weekend on Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7. Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, and retired Russian tennis icon Maria Sharapova, a two-time French Open champion (2012, 2014), highlight next weekend’s matches.
Following are the French Open finals on NBC next weekend:
SATURDAY, JUNE 6 – 2006 FRENCH OPEN MEN’S FINAL
In 2006, No. 2 seeded Rafael Nadal successfully defended his French Open title by defeating top-seeded Roger Federer, 1–6, 6–1, 6–4, 7–6 (4), becoming the youngest back-to-back Roland-Garros winner since Bjorn Borg in 1974-75. Nadal’s 2006 victory also helped him to an all-time record 81 consecutive clay court victories from 2005-07.
Federer suffered his first loss in a Grand Slam final in the only major he had yet to win at the time. Coming into the match, Federer had an 0-3 record against Nadal in 2006, but a perfect 44-0 record against his other opponents.
The match also marked the first meeting of the top-two seeded men in a Roland-Garros final since 1984.
SUNDAY, JUNE 7 – 2013 FRENCH OPEN WOMEN’S FINAL
In 2013, top-seeded Serena Williams defeated defending French Open champion and second-seeded Maria Sharapova in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, to win her second French Open title and 16th Grand Slam singles title. Williams only dropped one set the entire 2013 French Open tournament, to Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals.
After her 2013 French Open victory, Williams extended her season winning streak to 31 matches, the longest single-season streak in 13 years. Williams would go on to win 23 Grand Slam singles titles to-date, just one shy of matching Australian tennis legend Margaret Court for the all-time record.
The match marked the first meeting of the top-two seeded women in a Roland-Garros final since 1995 and the first time at any Grand Slam final since the 2004 Australian Open.
NBC AND THE FRENCH OPEN: In 1975, NBC became the first American television network to provide coverage of the French Open when the network signed a three-year deal with the French Tennis Federation. The tournament was covered by CBS from 1980-82 and returned to NBC in 1983, where it has remained since. This will be NBC’s 38th consecutive year televising the event.
–NBC SPORTS–
