Nadal vs. Djokovic: Rafa Undisputed King of Clay After Winning 2012 French Open

Rafael Nadal won the 2012 French Open and further solidified his reputation as the hardest player to beat on a clay surface.

The Spaniard was able to overcome world No. 1 Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the rain-delayed final of the tournament on Monday morning.

Perhaps the most impressive fact of Rafa’s victory is that it's his seventh win at Roland Garros in eight attempts. He first dominated the red clay tournament as a teenager back in 2005 and did not lose a French Open match until 2009.

That would end up being Nadal’s only loss in the tournament, and his most recent win proved that he’s the best in world—and possibly the best ever—on the clay surface.

This most recent French Open victory helped Rafa make history and separated him from a Hall of Famer.

Nadal now owns seven victories at Roland Garros, which is one more than Bjorn Borg. The Spaniard is now in sole possession of first place all-time. His 52-1 record at the event is unquestionably the finest ever achieved.

The most ridiculous part about this feat is that Nadal is just 26 years old. There is little doubt he is going to continue to win at the French Open and possibly use this momentum to win more Grand Slams this season and into the future.

The King of Clay has been the best player in recent history on the surface from which he takes his nickname. After beating Novak Djokovic this morning, he has every right to continue being called that.

It will be interesting to see how long it takes for someone else to be able to steal his throne.