Coach Toni Nadal says if his nephew Rafael Nadal has to lose to someone then let it b Casper Ruud. Ruud, who defeated Marin Cilic to progress into his maiden Grand Slam final at the French Open, is set to take on Nadal in the final at Roland Garros.
Ruud grew up idolizing Nadal and he is set to meet Spaniard for the first time in a Grand Slam final. Whenever Ruud gets asked about Nadal, he speaks extremely highly of the Spaniard. “If my nephew has to lose to someone, let it be Ruud,” Toni Nadal said, per Jose Morgado.
Toni Nadal, coach of Felix Auger Aliassime.
“If my newphew has to lose to someone, let it be Ruud”. https://t.co/tqD6AxnMZL — José Morgado (@josemorgado) June 4, 2022
Ruud set for a tough challenge of facing Nadal in Paris
Nadal is 13-0 in French Open finals and on Sunday he will be aiming to win a record 14th French Open title.
“To play Rafa in a Roland Garros final is probably the greatest challenge there is in this sport. I believe he’s 13-0 in the finals, so just shows that it might sound like an impossible task. But of course I will give it a shot like the other 13 people before me have done,” Ruud said.
Beating Nadal at Roland Garros is considered as the toughest thing to do in the men’s game. “It’s obviously going to be tough. We all know what a great champion he is and how well he plays in the biggest moments and the biggest matches.
I’m just going to try to enjoy it. I will be the underdog,” Ruud added. “I will try to, you know, tonight and tomorrow night dream about great winners and unbelievable rallies, because that’s what it’s going to take if I want to have any chance, and I will need to play my best tennis ever.
But I still have to believe that I can do it, and I think part of my game today was working very well. In the end, I was playing great in the third and fourth set.”
