YES Network.com

Having to wait an extra 24 hours didn't dampen Rafael Nadal's accomplishment any less, and he now stands alone as the most successful man to step onto the red clay at Roland Garros.

In the completion of the men's final suspended due to rain on Sunday, Nadal defeated top seed Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 to win his seventh French Open championship, breaking a tie with Bjorn Borg for the most men's singles championships at the event.

After battling rain on Court Philippe Chatrier throughout the match on Sunday, play was suspended with Djokovic leading 2-1 in the fourth set. The world's No. 1 player had been down two sets and 0-2 in the third, but won eight of the final nine games to charge back into the match before it was halted.

But when play resumed Monday, that momentum went out the window, and it was Nadal who won six of the final nine games -- despite another rain delay -- to finish off his seventh title.

Nadal's third straight championship at Roland Garros not only gave him the record, but also ended Djokovic's bid to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win four straight Grand Slam events. It was, in fact, the third time overall that Nadal had done the latter to someone by winning the French, as in both 2006 and 2007, he prevented Roger Federer from winning four consecutive majors by defeating the Swiss star in the French finals.

"This tournament is, for me, the most special tournament of the world," Nadal said after the victory, which improved him to 52-1 overall at the French Open. "It was a very difficult match against the best player in the world. I lost three Grand Slam finals - Wimbledon, the U.S. Open last year, and the Australian Open this year. I'm very happy, very emotional."

Djokovic, to his credit, did not blame the stoppage or anything else for killing any momentum he was building on Sunday, instead ceding to Nadal's play.

"He's definitely the best player in history on this surface and the results are showing that he's one of the best-ever players to play this game," Djokovic said.

The title was Nadal's 11th Grand Slam overall, tying him with Borg and Laver for the fourth-most all-time among men's players, and his seventh French Open singles title ties him with Chris Evert for the most by any player at the event.

Monday's competition also marked the first time since 1973, when Ilie Nastase finished out his men's championship on a Tuesday, that the French Openwas pushed beyond its scheduled final Sunday.