Who did Rafael Nadal defeat in the 2008 Olympic singles final?

Rafael Nadal defeated Fernando González in the 2008 Olympic singles final.

The final took place at the Olympic Green Tennis Centre in Beijing on August 17, 2008. Nadal won in straight sets, 6–3, 7–6 (7–2), 6–3, earning Spain its first Olympic tennis gold medal. González, a Chilean player and former Olympic bronze medalist, took silver.

The victory capped a remarkable summer for Nadal. He had already won the French Open and Wimbledon, and his Olympic triumph became the third part of what would eventually become his career Golden Slam. The Beijing tournament also helped confirm Nadal’s rise to the top of men’s tennis: he became world No. 1 immediately afterward, ending Roger Federer’s record 237 consecutive weeks at the summit. Novak Djokovic defeated James Blake in the bronze-medal match.