It’s been a grueling road, but Rafael Nadal is back in the final at Roland Garros, and he’ll face Casper Ruud on Sunday for the 2022 Roland-Garros title. Nadal was on the tougher side of the draw, which included Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz. But the 36-year-old sent rival Djokovic through to the quarter-finals and battled with Zverev when the German had to retire with an ankle injury as he trailed slightly. Now Nadal will face Ruud with a chance to extend his records to 14 French Open titles and 22 Grand Slam victories. Ruud is playing in his first Grand Slam final but is an elite player on clay. Nadal was the 23-year-old’s childhood idol and the Norwegian trained at Nadal’s academy in Mallorca for several years.
The first service at Roland Garros in Paris is scheduled for 9 a.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Nadal as a -550 favorite (risk $550 to win $100) in the latest Nadal vs. Ruud odds. Ruud is a +425 underdog, and the over-under for total games is set at 33.5. Before you make any picks at Roland Garros 2022 for the men’s final, be sure to see SportsLine’s Nadal vs. Ruud predictions from Sean Calvert.
Calvert is the handicapper who called out Stan Wawrinka in winning the 2014 Australian Open 60-1. At the 2018 Miami Open, he did even better, correctly calling 100-1 long shot John Isner to win the title. And in 2019, Calvert notched a huge score over Dominic Thiem winning Indian Wells 80-1.
And in 2021, he succeeded in his two bets for the Wimbledon men’s singles final: Novak Djokovic having to beat Matteo Berrettini three sets to one (+275) and Djokovic to win and both players to win a set (+130). Ahead of this year’s French Open, he also identified Ruud as one of his picks each way. Anyone who follows their choices is at the top.
Now Calvert has locked down the 2022 French Open men’s final match with Nadal against Ruud and has revealed his best bets. Head over to SportsLine to see them.
Preview of Rafael Nadal vs Casper Ruud
Nadal’s fitness was a question mark before the tournament but the Spaniard’s foot stood up to all challenges. He might have taken a break with Zverev’s game ending abruptly. It was on course to be one of the longest semi-finals in French Open history, already over three hours away with the second set to be completed. Nadal has never lost a Roland Garros final and is a stunning 111-3 at Roland Garros, and he knows time is running out to add to his legacy.
Nadal is likely to focus on wearing down his young opponent with drop shots and pounding Ruud’s backhand with his southpaw forehand. The Spaniard also has a superior break chance rating, averaging nearly one per game compared to Ruud’s 0.66. Ruud is likely to pick up the pace which could lead to unforced errors and Nadal always limits his mistakes. Nadal’s vast experience advantage combined with the Norwegian’s nerves could make the difference.
Ruud’s prowess on clay finally translated to Roland Garros after entering this year’s tournament averaging 7-4. He has seven titles on the surface in the last season and a half, and he is 21-5 on clay this season. He won the event in Buenos Aires in February and that of Geneva last month. He should be more rested than Nadal, who played two games over four hours and was pushed to the limit in both sets of the semi-final.
Player stats in Paris have been similar, with Nadal at 112 combined service points won/return points won and Ruud at 110. And Nadal is at 121 pending serve/break of serve, while Ruud is at 114. The Norwegian knows Nadal very well, whether he watched each of his finals as a youth or often trains with him at the academy. Ruud’s fitness and youth give him a big advantage, so if he can control his nerves, he has the skill to really push the clay-court legend.
How to make choices between Nadal and Ruud
Calvert broke down this match and locked in a better bet that you need to see. Be sure to see Calvert’s picks and analysis on SportsLine before you make your picks at Roland Garros 2022 for the men’s final.
What is the best bet for the men’s final of Roland-Garros 2022? Visit SportsLine now to see Sean Calvert’s best bet for Nadal vs. , all from the tennis handicapper with a history of making big calls.