Fourteen Roland-Garros finals, fourteen finals won.
Rafael Nadal continued writing the French Open legend on Sunday June 5.
Facing Casper Ruud, it only took him three sets to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires once again (6-3, 6-3, 6-0) – his 22nd Grand Slam victory, an absolute record.
For his first Grand Slam final, Casper Ruud is nervous.
Normal when you face one of his idols – which the Norwegian had seen from the stands his eighth coronation.
Since then, Rafael Nadal has played in five additional finals on the Philippe-Chatrier court, all won.
He makes his experience speak and takes advantage of it, winning the first game very quickly, in just over four minutes.
The king of clay takes the break in stride.
2013: 14-year-old @CasperRuud98 watching Rafael Nadal from the stands at @rolandgarros (📸: Casper Ruud)
2022: @CasperRuud98 about to play Rafael Nadal on court in the @rolandgarros finals!
pic.twitter.com/G3uRWF9Tw1
— IMG Tennis (@IMGTennis) June 4, 2022
The Norwegian is however not in the final to make up the numbers.
He quickly finds his marks and breaks on the next game.
But, while Casper Ruud offers himself two equalizers, Rafael Nadal does not admit defeat.
He erases them one by one before taking his opponent's service game (3-1).
One set, then two, then three...
Behind, the "Bull of Manacor" unrolls and wins the set (6-3), even if Casper Ruud is gradually showing himself to be more threatening by multiplying the climbs to the net.
"I will do everything possible ... as did the other thirteen before me," promised Casper Ruud before the match.
The eighth in the world keeps his promise and is more enterprising in the second round.
Casper Ruud is on par with Rafael Nadal and thinks of tipping the match with the break in the fourth game. But King Nadal refuses to let this crime of lèse-majesté pass.
He prevents the Norwegian from confirming his advantage then inflicts a white game on him to equalize.
the rest of the set is a health walk for the Mallorcan (6-3).
Casper Ruud transparent
The last is a formality.
He pays himself the luxury of inflicting a humiliating blow on his transparent adversary.
After the long fights against Félix Auger-Aliassime in the round of 16, Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals, and the three hours against Alexander Zverev, Rafael Nadal returned to machine mode for the last step.
Before the final, he said he was "probably" ready to exchange this new Coupe des Mousquetaires for a new left foot.
To see him use his current foot in this final and win a 22nd Grand Slam, we say to ourselves that he could nevertheless continue to win with it for a long time.
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