Nadal’s 14th French Open could be his crowning glory
The King of Clay has done it again; Rafael Nadal is the French Open champion at Roland Garros for the 14th time.
His win in the Parisian suburbs yesterday afternoon, coming in straight sets 6-3 6-3 6-0 against Norwegian Casper Ruud, took him to 22 Grand Slams – two beyond the chasing Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
Watched on Court Philippe-Chatrier by adoring fans, celebrities and the King of Spain, Felipe VI, Nadal proved his ability to capitalise on his opponent’s weaknesses in the two opening sets before roaring home in the third.
The third-set bagel was the third ever in a men’s French Open final since Nadal won his first Slam in the French capital in 2005.
All three have come at the hands of the Spaniard.
Yet Nadal didn’t have it entirely his own way.
Nadal capitalises
His 23-year-old opponent from Oslo had his chances to make it difficult for the 14-time Open winner, but failed to capitalise.
Ruud, in his first ever major final, broke 36-year-old Nadal early on but failed to capitalise in the following game and was himself broken before the Spaniard won his next service game.
From a potential 2-2 early on in the fist set, it became 4-1.
Again in the second set Ruud broke Nadal to go 3-1 up, but failed to consolidate the rare chance.
Nadal used his class and his favoured passing shot to win the next 11 games and secure both the second and third sets.
“It’s very difficult to describe the feelings that I have,” Nadal said after his win.
“It’s something for sure I never believed I’d be here at 36, being competitive again, playing in the most important court of my career one more time.
“I don’t know what can happen in the future but I’m going to keep fighting to try and keep going.
“It means everything to me. It means a lot of energy to try to keep going.
I just want to say merci, merci beaucoup.”
Killer Instinct
For his opponent Ruud, ranked eighth in the world, his killer instinct may come in time, as it has with others who have fallen in their first Slam final.
Having won only ATP Tour matches on hard and clay courts, his challenge now will be the grass court season and ensuring he becomes a serious threat all year round.
For the Spaniard, who has won the opening two Slams of the season for the first time in his career, many assumed he would be winding down by now.
But when winning looks as natural as it did 17 years on from his first French Open triumph in 2005, the future is entirely in his hands.
The Parisian suburbs have taken Nadal to their hearts and he in turn has done the same – the Slam has become synonymous with him.
And now as French Open champion once again he has inched two ahead of Federer and Djokovic.
In the Open Era, only Serena Williams’ 23 individual Slam titles stands out in front.