Despite 10 break-point opportunities, Roger Federer could not convert any in the first set. Rafael Nadal broke Federer twice to take the early lead 6-3.
Nadal couldn't continue to kill off Federer's break points in the second set, finally being broken en route to losing the second stanza 6-4.
The back-and-forth battle at Roland Garros continued in the third set with Nadal muscling his way to a relatively easy 6-3 win to take a 2-1 advantage heading to the fourth set.
Federer never regained the momentum he had in the second set, forcing Nadal into only one break point in the final two sets. Nadal took the final set 6-4.
In winning his third straight French Open, Nadal became just the second man to do so since 1914 and the first since Bjorn Borg won four in a row from 1978-81.
Federer fell to 10-2 in Grand Slam finals, with both losses coming to Nadal at the French. By reaching the last match in Paris, Federer extended his Grand Slam final streak to eight. "Of course I'm a bit sad, a bit disappointed," Federer said. "I hope to one day win it."
Nadal took home $1.34 million in prize money for Sunday's victory at Roland Garros. "It's a dream for me," Nadal said. "I worked very hard to be the best."