Rafael Nadal cruised to a 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 win over Casper Ruud on Sunday, marking his 14th French Open title. With this win, the Spanish legend has moved to 22 Grand Slam singles titles, creating a two-trophy gap between him and Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. It was another triumphant chapter for Nadal in Paris. Even though he entered the event with concerns surrounding a chronic foot injury, the 36-year-old overcame these obstacles to dominate at Roland Garros.
For the first time in his career, Nadal has captured both the Australian Open and Roland Garros titles in the same year. His 14 victories in Paris are a testament to why he is called the 'King of Clay,' representing the most titles ever won by one person at a single Grand Slam. Following his dominant 112-3 run at the clay major, Nadal is now tied with Carlos Alcaraz for the most titles on Tour in 2022, with four each.
Playing on Court Philippe Chatrier before an electric atmosphere, the 36-year-old came out swinging with an aggressive opening set. By utilizing his signature heavy topspin forehands, he completely outmaneuvered the Norwegian player and comfortably took the first set.
The second set began slowly for the Spaniard, who found himself trailing 1-3, but he managed to turn the tide by focusing on the fundamentals. By winning the grueling baseline rallies and hitting precise passing shots from both sides, he regained control. Nadal's dominance only grew in the third set, leaving Ruud with no room to recover. After two hours and 20 minutes of intense play, Nadal closed out the match for a historic win.
By defeating Ruud, Rafael Nadal joined an elite group as only the third player since the introduction of ATP Rankings in 1973 to record four wins against Top 10 opponents in a single Grand Slam. He shares this rare achievement with Mats Wilander (1982 French Open) and Roger Federer (2017 Australian Open).
While accepting his trophy, the Spaniard calmed rumors of retirement by stating his desire to continue competing. While admitting that the future is uncertain, he emphasized his determination to keep fighting. Nadal also mentioned his intention to compete at Wimbledon later this month, provided his physical health permits.