Rafael Nadal has done it yet again! The Spaniard has won a 14th French Open title, easing past first-time major finalist Casper Ruud in straight sets in the men’s singles final on Sunday.
Nadal won at a canter, winning his 22nd Grand Slam title in 2 hours and 18 minutes. He won the contest 6-3,6-3, 6-0, getting past a small scare in the second set when he was down 1-3 at one stage.
But once Nadal got going in the second set, he did not slow down, winning the next 11 games on the bounce to clinch the win in grand style.
Nadal's achievement in Paris is even more remarkable considering that he struggled with a chronic foot injury in defeat to Denis Shapovalov in Rome little more than three weeks ago. However, he showcased his trademark fighting qualities throughout the fortnight in Paris to ensure he would maintain his stranglehold on the French Open trophy, improving to a remarkable 14-0 in Roland Garros finals.
Nadal has now won both the Grand Slams so far this year, after claiming the title in the Australian Open as well. At 36, he becomes the oldest men's singles champion at Roland Garros.
In front of a raucous crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier, the 36-year-old produced an intense and aggressive first-set performance, hitting his forehand with heavy topspin to outmanoeuvre the Norwegian and move ahead.
After making a slow start to the second set, the Spaniard rallied from 1-3 by returning to basics. He hung in points, won the longer exchanges and produced an array of stunning passing shots off both wings to take further control, before racing clear in the third set to secure another memorable victory.
Nadal now leads the race for the most Grand Slams by 2, with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic behind him on 20 titles.
The Spaniard’s first triumph here 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.
Nadal, who will rise to No 4 in the ATP Rankings on Monday, moved past Top 10 stars Felix Auger-Aliassime, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev to set a first ATP Head to Head meeting with World No 8 Ruud.
Following his triumph over the Norwegian, the Spaniard has become the third player to earn four Top 10 wins at a Grand Slam since the ATP Rankings started in 1973. Mats Wilander at Roland Garros in 1982 and Roger Federer at the Australian Open in 2017 also achieved the feat.
Ruud, who has trained at Nadal's academy in Mallorca since September 2018, was competing in his maiden Grand Slam final after overcoming Croatian Marin Cilic in four sets to earn his 30th win of the year.
The 23-year-old had never been beyond the fourth round at a major prior to his run in Paris and was the first Norwegian man to reach the championship match at a Grand Slam in the Open Era. The eight-time tour-level champion, who has earned a Tour-leading 66 match wins on clay since 2020, will rise to a career-high No 6 in the ATP Rankings on Monday.
(With IANS Inputs)
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