BERLIN: Rafael Nadal emphatically sealed a record-extending 14th French Open title with an imperious straight-sets victory over Casper Ruud on Sunday.
Fifth seed Nadal was relentless as he took his record tally of grand slam titles to 22 with another domineering display, beating Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 to reign yet again on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Amid uncertainty over how long the 36-year-old Spaniard will be able to continue playing, he did not resemble a man who has been struggling with a foot injury as he outclassed Ruud in the Norwegian’s first major final.
Ruud was no match for his idol, who won 11 games in a row to secure back-to-back grand slam triumphs and maintain his perfectrecord in championship matches at Roland Garros.
Nadal struck an early blow when he broke with a majestic cross-courtforehand winner on the run for a 2-0 lead, but he gifted the eighthseed an immediate break back with a couple of double faults beforemissing a forehand.
Ruud was unable to build on that, spraying a wild forehand long andseeing another bounce before crashing into the net to go a break downat 3-1.
Nadal darted in to put away a backhand winner to go 5-2 up and fireddown three excellent serves in a row to wrap up the set.
Ruud got himself out of a hole by saving three break points beforeholding in the first game of the second set and the sprightlyScandinavian broke to love for a 3-1 lead, Nadal ending a poorservice game with a double fault.
There was a sense of deja vu when Nadal broke straight back, lettingout a roar after Ruud looped a backhand into the tramlines and theMallorca native led 4-3 when a lob from the underdog landed long.
Nadal was shifting through the gears, disdainfully swatting awayforehand winners to get a packed crowd purring as he won a fifth gamein a row to take the second set.
A prowling Nadal continued to dominate, racing in to put away anotherwinner for a 2-0 lead in the third set and showing no mercy on aplayer who has trained at his academy but was not made to feel sowelcome by one of the all-time greats in Paris.
Ruud had no answer to the brilliance of Nadal as he was swept asidein the most one-sided of third sets, the champion putting him out ofhis misery with a backhand winner.
Nadal was dethroned by Novak Djokovic in Paris last year, but normalservice was resumed as he took his staggering record in his favouritetournament to 112 wins and only three defeats.
This is the first time he has completed an Australian Open and RolandGarros double in the same season. He is now two clear of Djokovic andRoger Federer’s haul of 20 major titles.
