Rafael Nadal wins French Open for 14th time: his domination in numbers

A version of this article was originally published in 2021.

Rafael Nadal has lifted an unprecedented 14th French Open trophy after defeating Norway's Casper Ruud, who trained at Nadal's academy in Spain, in the 2022 final on Sunday (5 June) on Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland Garros.

The tennis legend, Beijing 2008 Olympic gold medallist and aptly nicknamed King of Clay triumphed over his academy pupil 6–3 6–3 6–0 for No.14 at the French Open, a year and eight months after his last victory with his 13th title in October 2020.

Nadal, who turned 36 during the tournament, gave no real indication that he would be toppled along the way, also seeing off world No.1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals.

With his triumph at the 2022 Australian Open Nadal took his major titles count to 21, a record in the men's Open Era, overtaking both Roger Federer and Djokovic, tied at 20. Now, he has added to that, with his 22nd major trophy.

Federer had held the record since surpassing Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in 2009. At this year's tournament, Nadal matched Federer for 15 semi-final appearances at one of tennis’ four major tournaments – Nadal at Roland Garros and Federer at the Australian Open.

Nadal's historic 14 titles is the most of any player at a single major. The Spaniard is an astounding 112-3 in 18 career appearances in Paris, dating back to his debut in 2005.

Here, we offer some of Nadal’s most eye-popping numbers at the French Open.

Nadal’s sparkling Roland Garros career

Fourteen times Nadal has lifted the Coupe de Mousquetaires inside Court Philippe-Chatrier, easily the most of any player at one Grand Slam in the Open Era, with Martina Navratilova winning nine Wimbledons, Djokovic's nine at the Australian Open, Federer's eight at Wimbledon and Serena Williams’ seven in both Australia and at Wimbledon.

Amassing those 14 trophies has taken 112 wins and just three losses: In the fourth round in 2009 to Swede Robin Soderling; in the quarter-finals in 2015 to Djokovic; and in the semi-finals in 2021, also to Djokovic. Nadal withdrew from the event prior to his third-round match in 2016 due to a left wrist injury.

Another injury forced Nadal to miss his French Open debut in 2004 at age 18. So a year later, when he played his first match at the event, he was one of the tournament favourites, having won events in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome in the lead-up.

“Everyone was talking about him,” his first opponent, Lars Burgsmuller, told USA TODAY in 2015. “He was on the way up. Everyone knew that he would be very, very good.”

The next level: Inside Nadal’s 115 matches

While Nadal has lost just those three matches, there have been few times he’s been threatened over the best-of-five-set format. In fact, he owns a 333-34 record in sets played at the French Open.

In 2020, Nadal didn't drop a single set in seven matches played, including in the final against Djokovic.

Only thrice Nadal has been stretched to five sets: A come-from-behind win against American John Isner in the first round in 2011; a close-as-can-be semi-final against Djokovic in 2013, Nadal triumphing 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-7(3) 9-7; and a fourth-round scrap this year against Canada's Félix Auger-Aliassime.

Djokovic led that 2013 match by a break of serve late in the fifth set (4-3 serving), only to falter against his rival.

“Everybody knows Novak is a fighter,” Nadal said, according to The Guardian. “That’s why this is a special sport.”

That year, Nadal was coming back from a seven-month layoff due to a knee injury that knocked him out of the Olympic Games London 2012.

The argument could be made that Nadal’s 2008 French Open was his most dominant, as it marked the first time he won the event without dropping a set, and lost just 41 games in seven matches played.

He did not drop a set in 2010, either, as well as in 2017 and the aforementioned 2020. He would lose only 35 games in seven matches that year, though Pablo Carreño Busta retired from their quarter-final after just one set played. In the final, Nadal dismantled 2015 champ Stan Wawrinka 6-2 6-3 6-1.

His 2020 final score against Djokovic? 6-0, 6-2, 7-5.

A league of his own

Winning over 90 percent of his career matches on red clay (97.4 in Paris), Nadal hit the century mark – 100 wins at the French Open – when he hoisted the 2020 trophy, and made it to 110 by beating Djokovic this year.

Only Federer (Australian & Wimbledon), Serena (US Open), Navratilova (Wimbledon) and Chris Evert (US Open) have reached triple digits in the win column at a major in the Open Era.

Navratilova's 120 Wimbledon wins is the most all-time, and Nadal's 112 in Paris is second on the list – the most of any man at a single major.

They are numbers that are in another stratosphere - much the same as Nadal's level of tennis on the red clay.

And even Navratilova believes Nadal will break her record.