French Open 2022 LIVE: Result as Rafael Nadal wins 22nd grand slam title by beating Casper Ruud
Follow for live reaction from Roland Garros as the King of Clay once again ruled supreme with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 over Ruud
Follow live reaction after Rafael Nadal defeated Casper Ruud to win a record-extending 14th French Open and 22nd grand slam title, in what is perhaps the toughest and most remarkable triumph of the Spaniard’s storied career at Roland Garros.
At 36, Nadal becomes the oldest French Open champion in history and his victory on the Paris clay comes just weeks after his participation in the tournament was thrown into doubt due to a painful foot injury.
It left Nadal admitting throughout his run to the title that this French Open could be his last and heightened the drama as he survived marathon matches against Felix Auger-Aliassime and then his great rival Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals.
Nadal progressed to a 30th grand slam final after his opponent Alexander Zverev suffered a horrific ankle injury in Friday’s semi-final, with the players still yet to complete the second set after three hours on court.
But Nadal recovered physically and the final was rather more straightforward, as the Spaniard used his experience to dispatch the 23-year-old Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 on what was the Norwegian’s first appearance in a grand slam final. Follow reaction from the French Open men’s final, below:
French Open: Nadal 6-3 5-3 Ruud*
Ooft. A hold to love from Nadal in a matter of seconds. It was as emphatic as that sounds - sealed with an ace up the middle.
French Open: *Nadal 6-3 4-3 Ruud - Nadal breaks!
Great play from both players to open up the angles of the court before Ruud sticks away the backhand winner crosscourt on the run.
It then gets a bit loose, though, as Ruud chucks a forehand long under little pressure to bring up a nervy 30-30.
Some great defence from Nadal keeps the point alive after Ruud found a big first serve, but he finally puts the smash away.
Ruud gets a little unlucky as a backhand clips the net cord and goes long, as Nadal goes on the attack with brutal hitting on his backhand side and a crosscourt winner into the corner
Break point - and Nadal gets it! Ruud went for the drop shot but Nadal flicked it back on the stretch, as Ruud went an inch long with the lob.
It was so important that Ruud stayed ahead in this set. He has played much better but still finds himself a break down. There’s a long way back from here.
French Open: Nadal 6-3 3-3 Ruud*
Brilliant from Nadal, first to play the backhand winner past Ruud as he rushed the net and then to flick a drop shot onto the line to race to 30-0.
Ruud did a little skip as he went for the backspin drop shot but Nadal met it and put it back with a backhand winner down the line.
Ruud is unable to return to serve out wide from Nadal and there’s a hold to love, as the authority returns. Ruud needs to get his momentum back.
French Open: *Nadal 6-3 2-3 Ruud - Nadal breaks!
Well, well - just when it felt like Ruud had arrived. That was what it seemed when the 23-year-old played a brilliant inside out forehand down the line that sent Nadal scampering.
It slips away though, as three errors cost him. It came as both players go high and Ruud pushes the backhand long. From there, a forehand off the back of a short Nadal return missed and on break point, Nadal stayed patient and Ruud gave him the miss he was waiting for.
Another swing, and a disappointing one for Ruud.
French Open: Nadal 6-3 1-3 Ruud* - Ruud breaks!
Interesting... Nadal opens his service game with an error and then elects to serve and volley at 0-15, only to drop the volley into the net! Good return from Ruud and a chance at 0-30.
Excellent from Ruud! He plays a magnificent angled backhand to drag Nadal across the court and a sliding backhand into the net from Nadal brings up three break points.
And would you believe it! The double faults returns from Nadal, and Ruud breaks to get ahead in the second set!
French Open: *Nadal 6-3 1-2 Ruud
Nadal unloads on a forehand winner after the longest rally of the match so far - 16 shots - but it’s then Ruud who dictates the rally as he finds the lines and puts away the forehand winner.
More good play from Ruud as Nadal goes wide on the backhand, before the Norwegian flies into the net and sticks away the volley to take the hold to 15.
I think that was his best game of the match yet.
French Open: Nadal 6-3 1-1 Ruud*
Nadal springs into action as Ruud leaves him a chance with a volley at the net, as the 36-year-old puts away the backhand winner. Nadal then drops a backhand past Ruud, before he switches it up with the drop shot. Ruud reaches it and replies with a lovely angled shot across the net.
The hold is quickly sealed as Nadal powers a backhand winner, his third of the game, past Ruud.
French Open: *Nadal 6-3 0-1 Ruud
Ruud immediately finds himself in a tough spot at 0-30 after a forehand error. Another flies past the baseline to bring up two break points for Nadal.
And that was a chance! Ruud plays the drop volley which Nadal reaches. Ruud then goes for the lob but it didn’t clear Nadal, only for the Spaniard to net on the backhand smash.
Still, pressure. And that was a better chance! Nadal had a window on the forehand as the ball sat up, but misses!
Nadal goes short and to Ruud’s backhand on his return but there’s another error from the 23-year-old as he looked for the angle.
He hangs in with a good fix on the forehand, before playing an excellent drop shot from the baseline that Nadal can only pick up into the net.
This would be quite the save - and he gets it as he crushes an inside out forehand. That could be so important.
French Open: Nadal 6-3 Ruud*
That was a fairly straight-forward opening set for Nadal, who has really seen it all over the past three matches. Ruud needs a response now, needs to make it difficult. It’s a tough, tough ask, but he’s got to find a way or else this final is going to disappear in a blink of an eye.
Second set is underway.
French Open: Nadal 6-3 Ruud* - Nadal takes the opening set!
An opening error on Ruud’s forehand side is an early gift from the 23-year-old, but that’s followed up by a miss from Nadal and then an excellent winner from Ruud down the line!
Now then, 15-30 - but Ruud would want that return back as Nadal finds an important first serve. Nadal then comes up with another, as Ruud pushes the forehand wide, to bring up two points for Nadal.
And there it is, Nadal delivers another first serve onto Ruud’s backhand and the return is so wild it crashes into the umpire’s chair.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies