Rafael Nadal beat Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in the French Open final on Sunday for his 14th championship at Roland Garros and 22nd grand slam title overall, adding to two records he already owned.
Nadal’s victory came two days after his 36th birthday and made him the oldest title winner in the history of the claycourt tournament.
Long live the king of clay: Rafael Nadal after beating Casper Ruud to win the 2022 French Open.Credit:Getty Images
Ruud led 3-1 in the second set, a deficit that spurred Nadal to raise his level – he took the last 11 games.
The Spaniard’s first triumph in Paris came in 2005 at age 19. No man or woman ever has won the singles trophy at any major event more than his 14 in Paris. And no man has won more grand slam titles than Nadal.
He now is two ahead of rivals Roger Federer, who hasn’t played in almost a year after a series of knee operations, and Novak Djokovic, who missed the Australian Open in January because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19.
Rafael Nadal during the French Open final against Casper Ruud.Credit:Getty Images
Given his age and, of more concern, the chronic pain in his left foot that has been an off-and-on problem for years, Nadal has said repeatedly in recent days that he can never be sure whether each match at Court Philippe Chatrier might be his last.
En route to victory, Nadal navigated his way past four French Open opponents ranked in the top 10 – No.9 Felix Auger-Aliassime in the fourth round, No.1 Djokovic in the quarter-finals, No.3 Alexander Zverev – who stopped because of a foot injury – in the semi-finals and then No.8 Ruud.
Double the misery for Gauff
Earlier, French pair Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic won their second women’s doubles title with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Americans Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula.
Sunday’s final came a day after the 18-year-old Gauff lost to Iga Swiatek in the singles final.
Garcia and Mladenovic also won the French together in 2016. Mladenovic now owns six grand slam women’s doubles trophies, including four that she won with Timea Babos.
Gauff and Pegula were appearing in a major doubles event together for the first time.
More to come
