Roland Garros (France)- Rafael Nadal became the oldest men’s singles champion in Roland-Garros history as the 36-year-old stormed to a 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 victory over Norwegian world No.8 Casper Ruud in the final on Sunday.
Fifty years after late Spaniard Andres Gimeno set the record as the oldest men’s champion in Paris, at 34, Nadal has rewritten the history books to lift a record-extending 14th Coupe des Mousquetaires.
Rafael Nadal has also claimed a men’s all-time record 22nd Grand Slam title, to increase the gap between himself and his closest rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, who each have 20.
The Spaniard is now a stunning 112-3 win-loss lifetime at Roland-Garros.
A marquee audience turned up for the occasion, with the King of Spain Felipe VI and Prince of Norway Haakon sat side by side in the stands.
Actors Michael Douglas, Sienna Miller and Hugh Grant were also in attendance, while Polish football star Robert Lewandowski returned to Chatrier, a day after witnessing his compatriot Iga Swiatek win the women’s singles title.
Three of the first four games went against serve but it was Nadal who managed to consolidate for a 4-1 lead early on as he went on to secure the opening set in 48 minutes.
The sun came out for the first time early in the second set and with it came an extra pep in Ruud’s step as the 23-year-old broke for a 3-1 advantage.
Ruud is the first Norwegian man in history to reach a Grand Slam singles final and was facing Nadal for the first time in an official match. The pair are frequent practice partners however, ever since Ruud joined the Spaniard’s academy in Mallorca back in 2018.
Nadal struck back immediately and snatched the next five games to take a commanding two-sets-to-love lead.
The former world No.1 hit just five unforced errors in set number two and grabbed a 10th consecutive game to sail ahead 5-0 in the third.
There was nothing Ruud could do to halt his opponent’s momentum as Nadal cruised to yet another historic title.
In Women’s singles Iga Świątek defeated Coco Gauff in the final, 6–1, 6–3 to win the women’s singles tennis title at the 2022 French Open.
