French Open 2022: Rafael Nadal wins 14th Roland Garros crown

• Rafael Nadal won his 14th French Open title on Sunday.
• Rafael Nadal broke Andres Gimeno’s record of 34 years and 305 days set in 1972 by becoming the oldest man to win the Roland Garros title.
• He won both the Australian Open and the French Open in the same season.

Rafael Nadal, 36, won his 14th French Open title on Sunday, defeating 23-year-old Casper Ruud, the first Norwegian in a Grand Slam singles final, in straight sets at the Philippe Chatrier.

Rafael Nadal broke Andres Gimeno’s record of 34 years and 305 days set in 1972 by becoming the oldest man to win the Roland Garros title. It’s also the first time in Nadal’s career that he won both the Australian Open and the French Open in the same season. Earlier this year, the Spaniard won his second Australian Open title, defeating World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in the final in Melbourne.

Read more: Rafael Nadal aims to be French Open’s oldest champion

On Sunday, Nadal defeated 8th seed Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in the men’s singles final in under 2 hours and 18 minutes. He decimated his academy classmate Ruud in the last set. Nadal earned his 21st bagel at Roland Garros and third in the Paris final.

Nadal seemed nervous as he surrendered a break in the first set. Even as Ruud, who practices at Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca, was suffering with jitters in his maiden Grand Slam final.

Read more: Rafael Nadal looks to reach his 14th French Open final

Nadal, on the other hand, used all of his experience to win the first set 6-3 in 51 minutes. As the light began to shine in Paris, Nadal found a new gear that improved his stroke play. As Nadal came back from a 1-3 deficit to win the second set 6-3, his forehand shots were ripping past the net.

Once Nadal was two sets up, there was no stopping him, as the Spaniard won 11 games in a row to beat Ruud in the final set and script history.

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