Jim Courier has named the former ATP player with a forehand like Rafael Nadal who won the French Open twice in the 90’s

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Rafael Nadal dominated at the French Open during his career, losing just four of his 116 matches at Roland Garros.

The Spanish ATP legend enjoyed real success in the French Capital, winning a record 14 Major titles on the Parisian clay.

No other player in tennis history has won more than ten titles at the French Open, as the 38-year-old holds a seemingly unbeatable record.

Since the tournament’s first edition in 1891, just 26 players have won multiple titles in Paris, as one former two-time champion recently compared Nadal to another Spaniard who enjoyed success on the clay.

Jim Courier says Sergi Bruguera had a similar forehand to Rafael Nadal a decade before his ATP debut

Speaking on the Roland Garros YouTube channel, former French Open champion Jim Courier named the player who had a similar forehand to Nadal during the 1990s.

“We are now so aware of how amazing [Rafael] Nadal’s forehand is with how much topspin Nadal puts on his forehand,” he said.

“Sergi [Bruguera] for our time had that type of a forehand.

“It had so much kick on it, it had so much top spin and bounce, he was a very physical player to play against because you had to use more energy to get up and get the ball before it jumped out of your strike zone.”

The American continued to reflect upon his rivalry with Bruguera, whom he played against seven times as a professional.

“He had a great feel, wonderful touch and he was a very smart player, he was someone you had to work your way past,” said Courier.

“I ended up with a great career record against him but he got me in a couple of matches here at Roland Garros.

“We had a very friendly relationship.

“He is a great champion, two-time champion at Roland Garros, and an excellent player across his career.

“We had a lot of battles and he got me in that final, it was a great match.”

Courier faced off against Bruguera in the 1993 French Open final, having won the title in 1991, and 1992.

He was unable to repeat the feat, however, losing a five-set thriller to the Spaniard, as Bruguera won his maiden Major title.

Bruguera defended his title one year later against his fellow Spaniard, Alberto Berasategui in four sets, becoming a two-time French Open champion.

Did Sergi Bruguera ever return to the French Open final?

Having won the title in back-to-back years, Bruguera was unable to complete the three-peat, losing to America’s Michael Chang in the 1995 semi-finals.

A second-round defeat to number-one seed Pete Sampras followed in 1996, before returning with a point to prove in 1997.

Traveling to Paris as the 16th seed, Bruguera took advantage of a relatively open draw, as he reached his third French Open final.

• SF – Sergi Bruguera beat Pat Rafter, 6-7, 6-1, 7-5, 7-6
• QF – Sergi Bruguera beat Hicham Arazi, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
• 4R – Sergi Bruguera beat [2] Michael Chang, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4
• 3R – Sergi Bruguera beat Dick Norman, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3
• 2R – Sergi Bruguera beat Dennis van Scheppingen, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3
• 1R – Sergi Bruguera beat Johan Van Herck, 6-3, 0-6, 6-2, 6-0

His opponent in the final was the charismatic Brazilian star, Gustavo Kuerten, who was appearing in just his third Grand Slam tournament.

Unfortunately for Bruguera, it was youth that prevailed over experience, as Kuerten won in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Kuerten had won the first of his three Major titles, as Bruguera fell to defeat in his third Grand Slam final.

In his next three visits to Roland Garros, Bruguera won just one more match, eventually retiring from tennis in 2002.

Bruguera ended his career as a two-time French Open champion, having reached a career-high of number three in the world rankings.