PARIS — The king of Spain was in the stands of Roland Garros on Sunday. So was the king of Norway, so was Billie Jean King. They had all come to see the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, and he did not disappoint.
Under a beautiful Paris sky, Nadal won his 14th French open title, beating Casper Ruud of Norway, 6-3, 6-3, 6-0. He’s won this tournament for the 14th time, having won all but four years since 2005. Nadal’s track record here is less a statistic than it is a laugh line. He’s now 112-3 at Roland Garros. He has won the French open as many times as Pete Sampras has won majors. By winning, he now has his 22nd Grand Slam title, surging ahead of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, who are tied at 20. Nadal’s record in finals is now 23 of his last 26. Apart from all his tennis sorcery, this is one of the great competitors in the history of sports—any sport and all sports.
Michel Euler/AP
