Rafael Nadal won a record-breaking 14th French Open title after defeating Norway’s Casper Ruud 6-3 6-3 6-0.
The Spaniard dominated Sunday’s final as he won 11 consecutive games in the second and third sets to win his 22nd Grand Slam title – two ahead of rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic at the top of the men’s all-time list.
The victory also means that 36-year-old Nadal, who won his first French Open title 17 years ago, became the oldest men’s singles champion at Roland Garros.
“Personally, it is very difficult for me to describe the feelings I feel,” Nadal said in an interview on the court after the match. “It’s something I certainly never believed I would be here at 36, be competitive again, play another final in the most important court of my career – it means a lot to me.”
This was the case of the Roland Garros apprentice on Sunday with Ruud, who has been training at Rafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca since 2018 and admired Nadal as he advanced to the tennis ranks, appearing in his first Grand Slam final. .
But the 23-year-old was beaten by Nadal in what was the first time the two faced each other.
After leading 3-1 at the start of the second set, Ruud saw his competition slip away and failed to register a game in the final set.
He later paid tribute to Nadal, saying in an interview on the court: “We all know what kind of champion you are and today I have to feel what it’s like to play against you in the final. It’s not easy and I’m not the first victim – I know it’s been a long time. “
More to come.
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