Rafael Nadal vs Casper Ruud, French Open closing: Nadal takes on Ruud, chases 14th French Open title

Rafael Nadal, a 13-time French Open champion, takes on Casper Ruud, a trainee on the Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy, within the males’s closing of Roland Garros 2022 on Sunday.

In his on-court interview after his semifinal win, Norwegian Ruud stated, "He has performed so many finals, however a minimum of he's enjoying a pupil from his academy this time. So, it's going to be a enjoyable one hopefully.”

Nadal has reached the ultimate after battling it out for greater than three hours, saving 4 set factors earlier than clinching the opener 7-6 (8) and getting back from a break right down to pressure the tiebreaker within the second earlier than his opponent, German world quantity three Alexander Zverev, was pressured to retire because of a horrible ankle harm.

Ruud is the primary Norwegian man ever and the primary Scandinavian man since 2010 to achieve a Grand Slam closing after he got here again from a set right down to beat Croatian Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. Sweden's Robin Soderling was the final Scandinavian male tennis participant to achieve the ultimate of a Main when he misplaced to Nadal on the French Open in 2010. In 2009, Soderling had subjected Nadal to his first ever defeat at Roland Garros throughout their fourth spherical match.

Whereas Ruud and Nadal have by no means confronted one another, the 2 typically apply collectively at Nadal's Academy in Mallorca. The final first-time assembly in a Grand Slam males’s closing was Novak Djokovic vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on the 2008 Australian Open whereas the final first-time assembly in a Roland Garros males’s closing was Gustavo Kuerten vs Sergi Bruguera in 1997.

Each Nadal and Ruud play with a heavy prime spin and financial institution on their forehand to do the injury.

Ruud has been in spectacular type on clay this season, successful titles in Buenos Aires and Geneva with an total win-loss file of 15-5 earlier than coming to Paris. Alternatively, Nadal missed a lot of the clay court docket season because of a rib harm sustained at Indian Wells Masters. Nadal performed solely two clay occasions - Madrid Masters (the place he misplaced to his youthful compatriot and teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz in quarterfinals) and Italian Open (the place his left foot problem flared up halfway by his third spherical loss to Canadian Denis Shapovalov). With an enormous serve and robust floor strokes, world No. 8 Ruud can threaten to stage a coup as Nadal continues to handle the ache in his foot.

Rafael Nadal vs Casper Ruud: Win-loss file on clay this season (earlier than French Open)

This might very nicely be Nadal's closing Slam. The Spaniard, on being requested about his choice between successful the title and getting a brand new foot, selected the latter after his semifinal match. He stated, "Definitely, I might favor to lose the ultimate."

"My opinion doesn't change. A brand new foot would enable me to be happier in my each day life. Successful could be very good and provides you an adrenaline rush, however it's non permanent after which it's a must to go on dwelling. I've a life forward of me and sooner or later I might like to play sports activities with my mates. My happiness goes forward of any title.

Data on supply (courtesy ATP):

Time spent on court docket throughout six rounds

Nadal: 18 hours 8 minutes

Ruud: 18 hours 2 minutes

(With inputs from Reuters)