Rafael Nadal saw off the challenge from Novak Djokovic and the weather to win a record breaking seventh French Open crown.
Play was suspended last night with Nadal leading 6-4 6-3 2-6 1-2 but the momentum was in favour of Djokovic who have on eight games in a row to take the third set and an early break in the fourth.
But when play resumed this afternoon under skies that threatened more rain it was Nadal who came out all guns blazing as he broke back in the opening game to get things back on level terms.
The rest of the set went with serve until Djokovic hit a double fault on match point as he served to stay in the match.
The victory sees Nadal surpass the record of six titles that he held with Bjorn Borg as he made history in the French capital.
It was the fourth consecutive Grand Slam final that Nadal and Djokovic had contested, the previous three going the way of the Serb.
Djokovic was also standing on the brink of history as he stepped onto the court yesterday as he could have been the first man since Rod Laver to hold all four Grand Slam titles at once.
But Nadal came out like a train in the opening set as opened up a 3-0 and almost made it 4-0 before Djokovic managed to shake off the nerves.
The world number one pulled level at 3-3 but that only propelled Nadal to greater things as he broke again and sealed the opening set 6-4.
Into the second and Nadal's forehand was firing winners from all over the court and Djokovic just didn't have any answers for the Spaniard's powerful play .
He comfortably took the second set 6-3 and when he broke for 2-0 in the third it looked like Djokovic's dream of making history was over.
But as the weather worsened Nadal began to struggle with his concentration and he let Djokovic into the match.
As momentum swung in the way of the world number one he reeled of eight consecutive games to give himself a foothold in the match.
But leading 2-1 in the fourth set with the early break the players were taken off court due to the band weather.
Organisers had hoped to get the players back on later in the evening but the decision was taken to take the match into today.
But Nadal was able to outlast the world number one and clinch a seventh title and write a little history of his own.
Speaking in a post match interview with John McEnroe the Spaniard said: "For me it is a real honour. Borg is one of the greatest in history, one of the more charismatic players in history.
"The comparison with the great Bjorn is fantastic. He's always been very nice to me, so I have to say thanks."
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
by Helen Earnshaw
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