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Rafael Nadal set a record-breaking record with a 12th title at Roland Garros and an 18th Grand Slam crown with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, and 6-1 victory over Austrian Dominic Thiem.
The 33-year-old Spaniard becomes the first player, male or female, to win the same Slam 12 times after taking up a courageous challenge from an exhausted Thiem in a repeat of the 2018 final.
Nadal is just two behind Roger Federer's all-time record with 20 major tournaments and three ahead of Novak Djokovic, eliminated by Thiem in the semi-finals.
Rafael Nadal makes 12!
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The world number two also raised his Paris record to 93 wins and only two losses after winning the title in 2005-2008, 2010-2014, 2017 and 2018.
"I want to congratulate Dominic. I'm sorry because he deserves to win too, "said Nadal.
"But he has every chance in the future. He has an incredible talent for the sport and I want to encourage him for the future.
"It's a dream to win again, an incredible moment. When I first played here in 2005, I never thought I would play again here in 2019.
"It's very special for me."
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Sunday's triumph has confirmed the domination of the "Big Three" on the Grand Slam tournaments after sharing the last 10 games.
Nadal also won an 82nd career title and a 950th first-leg victory.
"It's very difficult. I've given it all these last two weeks, "said Thiem, who had seven fewer wins and seven more non-forced mistakes in the final.
"Rafa, well done. You are an incredible champion and a legend of our sport.
"I'm glad you're playing. Winning 12 times is unreal. I will try again, of course. "
Thiem would have felt confident for the final after defeating Nadal on clay before winning the title in Barcelona in April.
But with the exception of defeats against Robin Soderling in 2009 and Djokovic in 2016, the results of this year's tournament were brutally known.
"I'm sorry, you're one of the best examples of the tour," added Nadal. "You are a hard worker, you always have a smile on your face and you are a good person. This is the most important thing.
"Thank you for being a great source of inspiration for me and the little kids around the world.
"If I wanted to lose against someone, it would be you because you deserve it. Well done and keep going, you'll win for sure.
In a first series of brutal strikes and 53 minutes of rough physics, it was Thiem who took first place for a 3-2 lead.
But the joy of the 25-year-old was short-lived as Nadal recovered the break from the sixth match before escaping with the next three games to win the first match.
Thiem, who defeated his opponent four times on clay during his career, failed to score a single point in Nadal's first five service games in the second set.
However, the bitter Austrian pushed and pushed, forced Nadal to execute three hurried ground strikes and, from nowhere, broke to take the second set.
It was the first set that he had managed to take off from Nadal at Roland Garros after three previous defeats.
Nadal was pissed off by the insult.
He swept the first 10 points of the third set, making a double break for 3-0 before moving on to a third break for the set.
Thiem, who wanted to become Austria's second Grand Slam champion after Thomas Muster won in Paris in 1995, had played four days in a row to reach Sunday's final and the result was slow.
He lost points in the first and third games of the fourth set and Nadal jumped to score 3-0.
It was soon 5-1 and the relentless barrage continued with Nadal winning the title on a second match point when Thiem shot a long comeback.
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