Rafael Nadal made more history on Sunday when he claimed a record-extending 22nd Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. But the Spaniard did more than improve his record at the majors.
With his victory in Paris, this is the first time Nadal has won the Australian Open and Roland Garros in the same season. Earlier this year, the Spaniard captured his second trophy at Melbourne Park. Nadal’s 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 victory against Casper Ruud was tied for his second-most lopsided win in a major final. The lefty lost just four games in the 2008 Roland Garros final against Roger Federer and six games in the 2017 championship match in Paris against Stan Wawrinka.
What makes Nadal stand out above the rest, and above anyone, is his consistency over time. The 36-year-old has now earned at least one clay-court title in 19 consecutive years. And, btw: Nadal is now 14-0 in Roland Garros finals. No other man has more than six titles at the tournament.
The 22-time major winner is now the oldest men’s singles champion in Roland Garros history. Nadal broke the mark previously set by Andres Gimeno, who was 34 years, 10 months when he was victorious in 1972.
Rafa, however, is unable to hide the pain in his left foot, having endured two weeks of injections; he left Paris limping every time he stands up; the Mallorcan eventually needed to take off his shoe to provide some light relief to his troubled extremity, the day after winning.
So, why revealed his triumph in Paris was one of the most emotional and important victories of his career?
Paris 🧡 @RafaelNadal #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/71nmstCdy9
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2022
“For me having this trophy next to me again means everything. [It] has been [an] emotional victory, without a doubt. Unexpected in some ways. [I am] very happy,” Nadal said in his post-match press conference. “[It] has been a great two weeks. I played from the beginning, improving every day. Finishing [by] playing a good final. [I am] super happy and can’t thank everybody enough for the support since the first day that I arrived here. [It is] very emotional.”
Nadal who now holds a 112-3 record at the clay-court major, struggled with a chronic foot injury in his defeat to Denis Shapovalov in Rome a little more than three weeks ago.
The Spaniard, who said that he is determined to continue to play as long as he is comfortable and happy on court. Yet the former World No. 1 said that it is not the records that he is motivated by, but the love he has for the sport, which he started playing professionally in 2004.
“It’s not about being the best [in] history. It’s not about the records. It’s about what I do. I like to play tennis. And I like the competition,” Nadal said. “As I said a couple of times in the past, and is not a thing that I repeat, is not the thing that I don’t feel for me, we achieved our dreams. Me, Roger, Novak, we achieved things that probably we never expected.
“For me, what drives me to keep going is not about the competition to try to be the best or to win more Grand Slams than the others. What drives me to keep going is the passion for the game, live moments that stay inside me forever, and play in front of the best crowds in the world and the best stadiums.”
“That’s, for me, that’s the most important thing in the sport. The value of the daily work…”. Rafa 100%.