Rafael Nadal wins 22nd Grand Slam title and 14th French Open crown with straight sets demolition of Casper Ruud | Tennis News – Times of India

Rafael Nadal celebrated his record-extending 14th French Open title with a two-hander that whistled through the air and kicked the chalk. The champion then tossed his racket, tearing up as he covered his face before embracing his opponent – Casper Ruud.
AS IT HAPPENED
The ochre-hued stage was set earlier in the day, Court Philippe-Chatrier was at capacity and the troubling weather predictions had been binned. The sun made periodic appearances early in the match, perhaps to greet the 13-time champion, before coming out in all its glory in the second half of the final. That worked like a roller on the crushed red-brick carpet and Nadal was skipping around the shale and stinging like a bee. So much so that Ruud only won eight points in the third set.

Nadal’s 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 victory, which gave him his 22nd Grand Slam crown, saw his backhand dominate as much as his forehand, piling up a total of 37 winners. The 36-year-old, who has won the Australian and French Open titles in the same year for the first time in his decorated career, passed fellow Spaniard Andres Gimeno as the oldest Roland Garros men’s singles champion in history.

“It is very difficult to describe the feelings that I have. It is something that I have never believed,” Nadal said as he hugged the Coupe des Mousquetaires. “To be here at 36, being competitive again in the most important court of my career. One more title means a lot.”

“I don’t know what can happen in the future,” said Nadal, as an arena, reeling under the weight of retirement rumours, held its breath, “but I’m going to keep fighting, keep going.”

The Spaniard, in a colour scheme that was the only thing out of line on the day, pastel pea on teal, turned to his box to give thanks. “My team, my family, without you none of this would be possible, especially in the very tough moments we went through with injuries.” The final appreciation went out to Roland Garros. “Thank you to everyone who made this event possible, merci beaucoup.”

The angle of the final match-up was acute. Not only is the Spaniard Ruud’s idol, the 23-year-old, the son of former pro Christian, has also trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca since 2018. They have played practice sets and rounds of golf and Ruud is perhaps too comfortable around Nadal the person. Nadal the pro is a whole different beast.

The eighth seed, who also claimed his prize from the legendary Billie Jean King, applauded Nadal. “We all know what a champion you are, I got to see it first-hand, playing you in the final,” he said. “You are a true inspiration to everyone around the world. We all hope you continue for some more time.”

Earlier in the match, Ruud was standing so far behind the baseline to receive Nadal’s serve, he might as well have been swinging from Champs-Elysees. Nadal, who gave his younger opponent the same respect on his first serve, moved closer in on the second delivery, which is what gave him a break in the second game of the match, a cross-court winner leaving the Norwegian stranded at the net.

Rafael Nadal with each of his fourteen French Open Tennis Championships. (Reuters Photo)
Successive double-faults in the third game cast the dye on the Nadal serve, but the muscular Spaniard was reading Ruud like a novel he didn’t want to put down.
The second set saw the duo indulge in a bit of a snakes-and-ladder chase, with Ruud jumping ahead 3-1. Nadal hit back to break in the fifth game after which it appeared to be a case of more ladders than snakes for the Spaniard, who broke again in the ninth game. In the third set, with the sun smiling down on Chatrier, Nadal made it a run of 11 successive games to close it on his second match point.