Rafael Nadal beats Casper Ruud to win 14th French Open crown and 22nd grand slam title overall

It seems like I always start off rooting against Rafael Nadal but then after he wins yet another grand slam title, I’m happy for him. You just can’t help but be awed by his accomplishments fueled by unbelievable passion for a sport he has co-ruled since 2005.

After beating Norway’s Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in today’s French Open final, Nadal moved further ahead of his great rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the grand slam title count. He now has 22 slams while the other two tennis giants are tied at 20.

Nadal, just a few days after his 36th birthday, won the French Open for the 14th time. It’s an insane statistic. He won his first title in Paris at 19 and has only lost there three times in his entire career.

When asked about how it feels to be two ahead of Djokovic and Federer, Nadal’s answer said everything about him: .”It’s not about being the best of the history, or the records, it’s about ‘I like what I do’,” he said. “We achieved our dreams, Roger, Novak, me. The competition to be the best is not my motivation. It is to live moments, to play in front of crowds. And the passion for the sport.”