{"id":38395,"date":"2022-06-06T03:34:33","date_gmt":"2022-06-06T03:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/french-open-2022-rafael-nadal-targets-casper-ruuds-backhand-with-forehand-crosscourt-to-seize-control-in-the-final\/"},"modified":"2022-06-06T03:34:33","modified_gmt":"2022-06-06T03:34:33","slug":"french-open-2022-rafael-nadal-targets-casper-ruuds-backhand-with-forehand-crosscourt-to-seize-control-in-the-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/french-open-2022-rafael-nadal-targets-casper-ruuds-backhand-with-forehand-crosscourt-to-seize-control-in-the-final\/","title":{"rendered":"French Open 2022: Rafael Nadal targets Casper Ruud’s backhand with forehand crosscourt to seize control in the final"},"content":{"rendered":"

In just under an hour and a half, Rafael Nadal produced a clay-court masterclass to defeat debutant finalist Casper Ruud in straight sets to lift his record-extending 22nd Grand Slam and 14th French Open title. The Spaniard’s dominant display was yet another showing of his trademark mixture of smart tactics and ruthless shot-making.<\/p>\n

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Ruud’s backhand fails to cope<\/strong><\/p>\n

Coping with Nadal’s forehand anywhere is a difficult task, let alone on the red dirt at Roland Garros. The shot goes into the opposing right-hander’s backhand corner with so much spin and bounce that it makes the ball feel like a rock on the racquet. Ultimately, it proved to be one that Ruud was not able to negotiate with much success.<\/p>\n

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Un peu plus dans la l\u00e9gende.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udc51 https:\/\/t.co\/A1Pwmsasn9 pic.twitter.com\/6jsBXz08mb<\/a><\/p>\n

– Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Norwegian found no purchase on his backhand, was unable to adjust it as well as his forehand, therefore needing to move far behind the baseline or take the ball to cope with Nadal’s crosscourt forehand. The Spaniard realized this early and actively targeted that wing, even choosing to go down-the-line with his own backhand to expose his opponent on that shot. The tactic played a big role in the 36-year-old gaining an early foothold in the match and flying out of the gates.<\/p>\n

Only four of the 16 winners that Ruud hit all match came from the backhand, none of which were groundstrokes, and only one of which came in the first set. Fifteen of his 23 forced errors in the match were also on the backhand, illustrating Nadal’s dominance in the crosscourt exchanges.<\/p>\n

Tact and tenacity<\/strong><\/p>\n

Court Philippe Chatrier is adorned with a quote from Roland Garros, the aviator and first World War fighter after whom the French Open venue is named, stating: “Victory belongs to the most tenacious.” Nadal’s record-breaking 14 titles on that very court are nothing if not a testament to that.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, the Spaniard opened the second set a bit sluggish, squandering a few break-point opportunities in the first game before losing his own serve and going into a 1-3 deficit. There on, Nadal won 11 games in a row to round out the final, and while the depth of his groundstrokes, his tactics, shot placement and deft touch were all on display, his tenacity di lui played a big part in the dominant display.<\/p>\n

Ruud was forced to play a near-perfect shot – sometimes multiple times in a rally – to win even a single point against the Spaniard. With the dry conditions under the Paris sunshine playing right into his hands di lui, Nadal made Ruud work twice as hard as he would have to against anyone else to prevail from the baseline, exhausting him point after point.<\/p>\n