His place in history was already assured. But on Sunday, for the 14th time in his career, Rafael Nadal managed to lift the Musketeers cup at arm’s length, before kissing it in front of the jubilant public on the Philippe-Chatrier court at Roland-Garros.
• Read also: Roland-Garros: Nadal’s incredible “14”
The feat is phenomenal. “Phenomenal”, even, as some tennis fans like to say. And it was achieved thanks to the incomparable resilience of the Spaniard, who not only beat a high board, but also his left foot bruised by an incurable syndrome to get there.
Of course, “Rafa” will not have had to dig deep on Sunday to overcome the Norwegian Casper Ruud, the eighth favorite having taken on the appearance of a ghost during this dryly closed final 6-3, 6-3 and 6-0 in 2h 8min
Challenging fortnight
But the king of the place will have had to do it often during this Parisian fortnight. In particular in front of Quebecer Félix Auger-Aliassime, who forced him to play a fifth round at Porte d’Auteuil for only the fourth time in his career.
Then in the quarters against the Serbian Novak Djokovic, world number 1 and his biggest rival, whom he faced for the 59e times of his career.
And finally against the German Alexander Zverev, whom he only led by one round – won almost by miracle – after almost 3 hours of play, when the third world player seriously injured his ankle.
“It’s very difficult to describe how I feel. I didn’t think I could be there, at 36, competitive again in the most important tournament of my career. It gives me a lot of energy to continue,” Nadal said in his speech on the pitch, after many questioned the rest of his career in recent days.
“He destroyed me”
Sunday, against the young Ruud, 23, who was playing his first Grand Slam final, “the king of clay” did not have to present his best tennis to triumph.
Even if he loves this surface himself, the Norwegian has never managed to deploy the game that led him to this ultimate encounter. Tense, by his own admission, he was broken from the start in each of the innings.
“It was very difficult, admitted the latter in a press briefing. I knew it would be, just look at the numbers. But he destroyed me on the court.
Ruud had a burst of pride at the start of the second set, in turn breaking Nadal to take a 3-1 lead. But visibly in great shape, the Spaniard started to walk him from left to right again, before finishing several points on the fly, to get a little closer to the coronation.
Sacre he confirmed on the service of his rival of the day, after a third set which lasted only 30 minutes. Contrary to his routine of the past, the “ogre of ocher” did not lie down on the ground once his victory was in his pocket.
He modestly waved his arms in the air, his eyes wet with emotion.
“I never dreamed of achieving the things I achieved,” said the fifth seed. Honestly, I’ve never considered myself to be this good. Of course, it’s a surprise: if it doesn’t surprise you to win 14 Roland-Garros, it’s because you’re super arrogant!”
A record, again
These 14 titles obviously constitute a record. It has been 10 years since Nadal erased Sweden’s Bjorn Borg’s mark of six.
But to grasp the full scope of the feat, we must remember that the American Pete Sampras won 14 major trophies in his entire career… and that one would have thought at the time of his retirement that this mark would never be beaten.
This triumph in Paris is also the 22nd of the Spaniard’s career in Grand Slam, two more than Djokovic and the Swiss Roger Federer.
At 36, despite an injured foot that forced him to receive injections during the tournament, he also achieved the Australia-Roland-Garros “International” double for the first time.
“For me to have this trophy by my side once again means everything and it’s very moving,” admitted Nadal. It is the most moving of victories, the most unexpected in a way.
Injections et interrogations
Rafael Nadal’s left foot was so abused throughout the fortnight at Roland-Garros that the champion received injections to numb the pain before each match.
A ploy that the Spaniard no longer wants to repeat and which forces him to question the rest of his career. Because one of these alternatives would be surgery involving a long convalescence and not ensuring that he will still be competitive afterwards.
Without injections, Nadal therefore does not know if he will be at Wimbledon, even if he wholeheartedly wishes to play the legendary tournament he has won twice at the end of June.
“I will be at Wimbledon if my body is ready to play Wimbledon, pointed out “Rafa” at a press conference. […] But of course, I can’t continue to play tournaments with a sleepy foot. So, now, we will have to go back to the work table.
Since he was 18, Nadal has suffered from Müller-Weiss syndrome, “a chronic and incurable pathology” which causes consistent pain on the top of his foot, explained Agence France-Presse this weekend.
Unable to walk
To counter this evil, the 36-year-old player takes painkillers. But in Paris, with a view to winning this 14e title, he opted with a doctor for a more radical solution.
Because after his second round match against Frenchman Corentin Moutet, Nadal could not even walk, he told French television on Sunday.
“My doctor was able to put an anesthetic on the nerves and that takes away all the sensations in my foot, explained the champion. At the same time, it is a greater risk. As we have less sensations, it is a greater risk of spraining the ankle.
Find a solution
With his doctor, Nadal will try in the next week to find another solution to cut the pain. If they succeed, whoever finds fourth place in the world today could be present on the lawn of the All England Club.
In the last few days, “Rafa” had created a blur surrounding the rest of his career. Refusing to talk about his pain after the games, he said he would discuss what happens after the tournament.
Nadal, however, has never hidden that for a while now he has been playing every game as if it were the last… because he was afraid it was.
“I like tennis”
In his speech on the Philippe-Chatrier, a few minutes after defeating the Norwegian Casper Ruud, “the ogre of ocher” did not promise to be back on this court he loves so much, the year next. But he assured that he would “keep fighting”.
Asked by journalists what kept pushing him forward, despite his 14 titles at Roland-Garros and his 22 Grand Slams, Nadal gave this answer:
“The idea is not to be the best in history and to win all the victories. It’s because I love playing tennis and I love competition. […] It’s to live moments that will stay with me forever and to play in front of the best crowds and in the best stadiums in the world.