Where does Rafael Nadal's win over Casper Ruud rank in terms of fewest games dropped to win a Slam final?
Rafael Nadal creating history on a Sunday evening in Paris has been the norm for many years now. The Spaniard claimed his 14th title at Roland Garros and is now two Slams ahead of his rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, who are both tied on 20. The former World No. 1 dropped only three sets in the entire tournament.
In the title clash, he faced 23-year-old Casper Ruud, who became the first Norwegian to reach the final of a Major. He was also the first player from a Scandinavian nation to reach a Major final since Robin Soderling at the 2009 Roland Garros. Ruud enjoyed only one straight-sets win en route to the final of the 2022 French Open (Emil Ruusuvuori, second round)
The World No. 6, who trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy, was on a 10-match winning streak, but could only win six games in the final against Nadal, who won 86 of the 141 points contested. It was Nadal's fifth quickest win in terms of match time in a French Open final.
So where does Nadal's 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 win over Ruud rank among the fewest games dropped in a Slam final? Here's a look:
#1 Jimmy Connors - 1974 US Open - 2 games dropped
Jimmy Connors announced himself to the tennis world during an incredible season in 1974. Connors finished the 1974 season with a win-loss record of 99-4, despite not being allowed to participate at the French Open. The American won the title at the Australian Open by defeating Phil Dent in the final.
At Wimbledon and the US Open, he faced 40-year-old Ken Rosewall in the final. Rosewall was the holder of eight singles Slam titles at the time. The American won both finals, dropping six and two games at Wimbledon and the US Open, respectively. Connors recorded a 6-1, 6-0, 6-1 drubbing at the US Open in one hour and 18 minutes, which is the shortest recorded Slam final in the Open Era.
#2 Guillermo Vilas - 1977 French Open - 3 games dropped
Long before Rafael Nadal entered the scene, it was Guillemro Vilas who was dubbed the King of Clay. The Argentine won four Slams in his career, two of which came on clay (1977 French Open and 1977 US Open).
Vilas touched his prime in 1977, compiling a win streak of 53 matches on clay and winning seven consecutive titles on the surface after Wimbledon. Seeded third, Vilas dropped only one set at the 1977 French Open. He beat Brian Gottfried 6-0, 6-3, 6-0 in a flawless display in the final.
#3 John McEnroe - 1984 Wimbledon - 4 games dropped
John McEnroe produced the best tennis of his 16-year singles career during the 1984 season. The former World No. 1 won 82 of the 85 matches he played that season. This stands as the best in terms of win-rate by a player in a single season in the Open Era (96.47%).
McEnroe's tally of 13 tour-level titles that year included a Channel Slam (the French Open and Wimbledon).
En route to a fourth Wimbledon title, McEnroe dropped only one set. In the final, he crushed Connors 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 within 80 minutes. McEnroe made only four unforced errors in the entire match.
#4 Rafael Nadal - 2008 French Open - 4 games dropped
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer met each other four years in a row at the French Open, starting in the 2005 semifinals. Federer was the World No. 1 in each instance. The two players faced each other in the final of the 2006, 2007 and 2008 French Open. Federer lost the 2006 and 2007 finals in four sets.
However, the 2008 final was an absolute rout from Nadal as he defeated the Swiss maestro 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 in an hour and 48 minutes. It remains Nadal's quickest win in a French Open final. The Spaniard did not drop a set in the entire tournament.
#5 Bjorn Borg - 1978 French Open - 5 games dropped
Bjorn Borg had already won two Roland Garros titles and four Slams overall when he entered the 1978 French Open. The Swede did not drop a set in the tournament, which included his win against Guillermo Vilas in the final.
Borg won the match 6-1, 6-1, 6-3. He dropped only 32 games in the tournament, a record at Roland Garros.
#6 Andre Agassi - 2003 Australian Open - 5 games dropped
Andre Agassi, a former World No. 1 and winner of eight singles Slam titles, won the final Major of his career at the 2003 Australian Open. The American was seeded second at the event. He defeated 31st seed Rainer Schuttler 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 to win the fourth Australian Open title of his career.
Agassi dropped only one set in the entire tournament. Later that year, Agassi would reclaim the World No. 1 ranking to set a record for the oldest man to reach the summit of the rankings. The record has since been surpassed by each member of the Big 3.
Players who dropped exactly 6 games to win a slam final in the Open Era:
Kodes: RG 1970
Nastase: RG 1973
Connors: Wimb 1974
McEnroe: Wimb 1983
Lendl: US 1986
Lendl: AO 1989
Edberg: USO 1991
Korda: AO 1998
Ferrero: RG 2003
Nadal: RG 2017
Nadal: RG 2022
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Rafael Nadal's win over Casper Ruud saw the Spaniard drop only six games in the final. In this respect, he is tied with 10 other players who have dropped exactly six games to win a Major final. Jan Kodes (1970), Ilie Nastase (1973) and Juan Carlos Ferrero (2003) are the only other players to have dropped six games in a French Open final in the Open Era.