"I'm not your first victim, there have been many before me" - Casper Ruud to Rafael Nadal after his French Open final defeat
Spain's Rafael Nadal rewrote history on Sunday at the 2022 French Open by beating Norway's Casper Ruud to become a record-extending 22-time Grand Slam champion. In the process, Nadal also won an incredible 14th Roland Garros title.
In the post-match presentation, Ruud, who has been a student at the Rafa Nadal Academy, had nothing but praise for his idol Nadal.
"The most important thing is to congratulate Rafa. This is your 14th time at Roland Garros and 22nd Major overall. We all know what a champion you are and today, I got to feel how it is to play against you in a final. It's not easy. I'm not the first victim. I know there have been many before," Ruud said.
While he congratulated the Spaniard, Ruud also hoped to see the 36-year-old continue playing for some more time.
"You're a true inspiration for me and for everyone who follows tennis around the world. We all hope that you continue for some more time," said Ruud.
Doing Norway proud, @CasperRuud98 🇳🇴
#RolandGarros https://t.co/rGYjKxBrdn
When Ruud defeated Croatia's Marin Cilic on Friday, he became the first Norwegian to reach a Grand Slam final. On his way to the final, the 23-year-old also overcame the likes of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Hubert Hurkacz, and Holger Rune.
He thanked his team and family for all their support, and wished to be a part of many such experiences in the coming years.
"To my own team and everyone involved, it has been a long road. Even though I'm young, I have a big team around me and this would have been impossible without the help of everyone. Thank you. I hope we can continue this journey and that you will be around me for many more years and hopefully, more finals in Grand Slams," Ruud added.
Victory belongs to the most tenacious 🏆
#RolandGarros https://t.co/HveldTMGf8
14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal continues his clay-court dominance
With his victory on Sunday, Rafael Nadal improved his win-loss record to 112-3 at Roland Garros, with Robin Soderling and Novak Djokovic the only two players to beat Nadal in Paris.
The Spaniard became only the third male player after Mats Wilander and Roger Federer to beat four top-10 players in a tournament.
Since his first triumph at Roland Garros in 2005, only three other players have been able to win the tournament — Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, and Novak Djokovic. The 14-time French Open champion has never lost a final in Paris.