Rafa's Clean Green Shirt Says It All

At the end of Rafael Nadal's surprise blowout of Roger Federer in the finals of the 2008 French Open, Rafa's clean green shirt pretty much said it all.
Never before had he reached the end of a tournament with so little of the terre battu on it. He didn't fall to his back in the clay in amazement after his fourth straight French Open win--unprecedented since Borg accomplished this--but instead gave a sheepish grin and raised his hands high above his head, walking, not running to the net to console his rival and now also friend, Federer.
Nadal looked, frankly, like someone who expected this championship. And why not? He's never lost a match here and this year didn't drop a set--again, unprecedented, since Borg. The 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 match wasn't ever competitive except for a brief time in the second set when they were even at 3-3. Federer looked as though his strategy either was to hit angled shots in an attempt to get Nadal into the stands and way off the court for winners or to simply try and wear down Nadal. Nadal is, after all, only human, right? Right?!
Well, whatever Federer's strategy was, it didn't keep Nadal from racing to another French Open Championship and narrow the gap in points between Roger and him for the world's number one ranking.
Nadal's shirt at this year's French Open wasn't exactly the same shade of green as Wimbledon grass, but it should provide him with a confidence-building entry into the grass court season. Nadal was taught, commentators say, to stay humble and hungry. He may have some work cut out for him to maintain the humble part.