Rafael Nadal wins 10th French Open title

The Spaniard came into the showdown on Philippe-Chatrier by far the fresher man, dropping just 29 games en route to the final, and it showed as he downed the third seed 6-2 6-3 6-1.

Nadal’s 15th Grand Slam – his first since 2014 – pulls him clear of Pete Sampras into outright second on the all-time list, with Roger Federer leading the way with 18.

He paid tribute to his uncle and coach Toni Nadal, who is planning to step down as head coach at the end of the season.

Wawrinka was subdued as the marathon five-set duel with Andy Murray in the semi-finals appeared to carry over into Sunday, but even a vintage Swiss would have struggled to contain Nadal.

He appeared to weather the early storm by swatting away four break points in his second service game, only to then be broken in the next two as the first set disappeared.

The winners that punctuated the victory over Murray were in short supply, with just 19 arriving off the Wawrinka racket, as Nadal rode the momentum to claim a commanding win without being broken – his third French Open triumph without dropping a set in all seven matches.

Nadal’s dominance at Roland Garros is new territory for the Grand Slams.

Novak Djokovic and Roy Emerson have six Australian Open titles each, Federer and Sampras have seven Wimbledon titles, while Bill Tilden has seven US Open titles. All of those records pale in comparison to Nadal – and there could yet be more.

"I try my best in all events but the feeling I have here is impossible to describe," Nadal added.

"For me the nerves, the adrenaline I feel when I play on this court is impossible to compare to any other feeling.

"This is the most important event in my career. It is difficult to compare this tournament to any other one. It will always be in my heart.

"Feeling your support is just unbelievable. Thank you and see you next time."