The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros ended on June 5, 2022, with a familiar sight: Rafael Nadal lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires (“The Musketeers’ Trophy”) as the tournament champion. The 36-year-old Spaniard defeated Norwegian Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in the final to win his record 22nd Grand Slam and 14th title at Roland Garros. He trailed 3-1 in the second set but won 11 consecutive games to secure the title in what was another relatively easy championship for Nadal. He has now won five of the last six French Opens.
Known as the “King of Clay” for his dominance on clay surfaces, Nadal won his first French Open in 2005. Since then, only three players (Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Stan Wawrinka) have won the Grand Slam. Nadal lost in the semifinals of 2021’s event, the quarterfinals in 2015, and the fourth round in 2009. He withdrew before the third round in 2016.
Nadal defeated Jordan Thompson in straight sets in the first round of the 2022 French Open and didn’t lose a single set until his competitive fourth-round match against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. He defeated Djokovic in four sets in the quarterfinals and scored a three-set victory over Alexander Zverev in the semifinals. He now has two more Grand Slam victories than Djokovic.
Oldest French Open Men’s Singles Champion
Nadal was just 19 years old when he won his first title at Roland Garros in 2005. His 2022 finals victory came two days after he turned 36, making him the oldest champion in French Open history. Fellow Spaniard Andres Gimeno, the previous record holder, was three months shy of 35 when he won the French Open in 1972.
Ken Rosewall is the oldest Grand Slam winner of all time. The Australian was 37 years, one month, and 24 days old when he won the Australian Open in 1972. Nadal could break that record at Wimbledon or the US Open in 2023.
Five Consecutive Titles
The “King of Clay” won 81 consecutive matches on the surface from 2005 to 2007, but his most impressive run on clay spanned five years and 39 matches at Roland Garros from 2010 to 2015. Following a surprising fourth-round exit at the French Open in 2009, Nadal defeated Robin Soderline in straight sets in the final of the 2010 French Open. He defeated Federer for the fourth time in a French Open final in 2011 and won again in 2012, 2013, and 2014. He lost to Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the 2015 French Open.
Only Three Career Losses at Roland Garros
Perhaps Nadal’s most impressive stat at Roland Garros is his overall win-loss record at the annual tournament. Since his debut at the event in 2005, Nadal has lost just three matches at the French Open. He has a career record of 112-3, good enough for an absurd 97.39 winning percentage, at Roland Garros.
Has Only Been Taken to Five Sets Three Times
While Nadal has faced some adversity en route to winning 14 French Open titles, he has mostly avoided having to play grueling five-set matches at Roland Garros. In fact, one of his most difficult matches occurred in the fourth round of this year’s event when he defeated Auger-Aliassime 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Nadal lost the opening set of a match at the French Open for only the 11th time in his career. Auger-Aliassime, meanwhile, was just the third player to take Nadal to five sets; the Spaniard’s three losses at Roland Garros were in four or fewer sets.
“For me, he was a very, very tough opponent today,” said Nadal after the four-hour-and-23-minute match. “He does a lot of things well and has been improving and I wish him the very best for the rest of the season. It is a very important victory for me without a doubt.”
Nadal lost only one set in the next three matches.
Undefeated in French Open Finals
Nadal has also been able to win when it matters most at Roland Garros. He’s now a perfect 14-0 in French Open finals and has only lost six sets in those 14 matches. He’s essentially automatic in the French Open finals.
Djokovic, Nadal’s longtime rival, has taken the “King of Clay” to four sets in two French Open finals, while Austrian Dominic Thiem was the last player to win a set in a final against Nadal in 2019.
Didn’t Lose a Single Set in Four Tournament Victories
Nadal has won the French Open four times without dropping a single set. He won seven consecutive best-three-of-five matches (21 sets) in 2008, 2010, 2017, and 2020. He lost only 35 games in 2017, reaffirming his hold on the French Open after going two years without a title. He defeated Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 in the final of the 2017 French Open.