Image Source: Tennis365
Rafael Nadal, the “King of Clay,” reigned supreme in Paris after a one-year hiatus from the scene.
Rafael Nadal won his 14th French Open championship, adding to his total of 22 grand slam titles, by defeating Norwegian Casper Ruud 6-3 6-3 6-0 in the final at Roland Garros.
On Sunday, the Spaniard controlled the final from the start, winning 11 consecutive games in the second and third sets to win his 22nd grand slam title, two more than arch-rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Nadal, 36, became the oldest men’s singles champion at Roland Garros with the victory, having won the French Open for the first time 17 years earlier.
After the game, Nadal expressed his delight to the press, noting difficulties describing his feelings, especially because he never imagined himself still competing at the greatest level at the age of 36. Nadal described the Rolland Garros court as “the most crucial court” of his career when describing how much the victory meant to him.
Rafael Nadal moved two significant championships ahead of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer at the just finished French Open event to become the player with the most French Open titles and major slams overall.
Ruud, who has been training at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca since 2018, faced off against his idol and master in the final, a classic example of mentor vs. protege.
According to Ruud, he has admired Nadal’s achievements on the court throughout his youth and professional career, and playing his first grand slam final against his “master” is the single greatest honor of his career thus far.
He later paid tribute to Nadal in an on-court interview, saying, “We all know you’re a champion, and I got a taste of what it’s like to compete against you in the final today. It’s not easy, and I’m sure I’m not the only person to fall victim to it.”
