French Open 2022 Final Highlights: Rafael Nadal wins 14th French Open and record-extending 22nd Grand Slam title

Casper Ruud has been training at Rafael Nadal's academy in Manacor since 2018 alongside his father Christian, a former top 40 player, and Spaniard Pedro Clar. Ruud was just 6 years old when Nadal was first crowned French Open champion and described the Spaniard as his "idol".

World number 8 Ruud, 23, is the tour's in-form clay court player. Not only have seven of his eight career titles come on clay, but he has won 66 matches on the surface since 2020 and played in nine finals. Ruud is the first Norwegian to reach a Grand Slam final.

Rafael Nadal's record at the French Open now stands at 111 wins and just 3 losses. Novak Djokovic was responsible for 2 of those defeats. Nadal was only 19 when he won his first French Open in 2005. Victory tonight will make him the tournament's oldest champion, eclipsing 34-year-old compatriot Andres Gimeno who took the title 50 years ago.

Nadal needed five sets and more than four hours to see off Felix Auger-Aliassime in the last 16 and another four hours to get past Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals. Alexander Zverev then pushed him all the way for three hours in the semi-finals until a sickening ankle injury forced the German world number three to quit on crutches. Despite the German's bold all-or-nothing challenge, Nadal still cut an impressive presence on court, at one point coming out on top in a lung-busting 44-shot rally.

The 36-year-od Nadal is, however, as surprised as anyone to have got this far. A chronic left foot injury which has plagued him throughout his career flared up again in Rome last month, putting a serious question mark over him even making it to the French capital. But despite his fears, Nadal has impressively battled his way into the championship match.

Victory will deliver a record-extending 22nd major and 14th French Open, 17 years after Rafael Nadal's title winning debut in Paris.

Rafael Nadal will become the oldest man to win the French Open title if he defeats Casper Ruud, the Norwegian whose clay court talents he has personally helped foster. Nadal will be playing in his 14th Roland Garros final and 30th overall at the Grand Slams.