Nadal sees off Ruud to win 14th Roland Garros crown
Rafael Nadal extended his lead over great rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic for the most Grand Slam singles titles in men’s tennis after defeating Norway’s Casper Ruud in the title match in Paris.
The 36-year-old Spaniard won 6-3 6-3 6-0 in two hours and 18 minutes to collect his 14th Roland Garros crown and his 22nd Grand Slam overall – putting him two clear of both Federer and Djokovic.
Nadal’s 2022 clay campaign had been dominated by talk of the chronic foot injury that cast serious doubt over how much longer he will be able to compete at the top of the game, but his remarkable ability to endure – and near-invincibility on the Parisian clay – took him to yet another title.
And he did it aged 36 years and two days, becoming the oldest men’s singles champion in Paris in the process (Spaniard Andres Gimeno was the previous oldest, winning aged 34 in 1972).
🏆 @RafaelNadal MAKING HISTORY 🏆
— ITF (@ITFTennis) June 5, 2022
1⃣4⃣ #RolandGarros titles
2⃣2⃣ Grand Slam titles
✅ Oldest @RolandGarros men’s singles champion in history pic.twitter.com/MXyTnTfZEh
For Ruud, facing the King of Clay for the first time in a competitive match in his maiden Grand Slam final was always going to be an uphill task, and so it proved.
“I don't think it really got to me until I stepped on court today and saw the full stadium and felt like the atmosphere in the crowd,” admitted the 23-year-old.
“It was a little bit, honestly, a bit tough to find myself too comfortable in the situation in the beginning, but as the match went on, I tended to feel a little bit better and I could calm down and breathe out a little bit more.
“But it was challenging because you are playing him, the most winning-slam player ever, and on this court in the final it's not too easy. But it was worth a shot, and a good experience, for sure.”
Despite the result, Ruud said he will take nothing but positive memories from the occasion.
“This match will be something I will probably remember for the rest of my career. There are certain moments I think for everyone's career that you'll remember more than others, so this one will be high up on my list, biggest match I ever played.”