“Nadal hits with 40,000 RPM”: Casper Ruud breaks down what makes Rafa tougher than Djokovic at Roland Garros

Casper Ruud has compared what it was like to face Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the Roland Garros final. The three-time Grand Slam runner-up faced brutal challenges on the two occasions he was on the verge of glory at the French Open, falling to two of the best players in history.

The World No. 12 was competing this week in the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) Grand Final in London, an event that brought together the eight best players of the UTS exhibition tour. He reached the final but ended up falling to the Australian World No. 7, Alex de Minaur.

During his time in London, the Norwegian recalled his consecutive finals at Roland Garros a couple of years ago. For his first major final at the 2022 French Open, the Norwegian had overcome rivals like Hubert Hurkacz, Holger Rune, and Marin Cilic to reach the final against Rafael Nadal. Ruud could barely win six games in a commanding performance by Nadal, who won his 14th Roland Garros title and the 22nd Grand Slam of his career, 6-3, 6-3, 6-0.

A year later, Ruud would have a chance for revenge, defeating rivals like Nicolas Jarry, Holger Rune (for the second consecutive year), and Alexander Zverev along the way. In the final, he met Djokovic. The Serbian claimed the victory in straight sets, although this time Ruud managed to put on a better show, with the result ending 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5 in favor of Djokovic.

Not many players have had the opportunity to face both Nadal and Djokovic in Grand Slam finals, and in Ruud's case, he did it in consecutive years on the same stage. The first time—against Nadal—he watched his rival extend his record as the greatest major champion by reaching a total of 22 titles, leaving behind the 20 of Federer and Djokovic.

By 2023, the landscape was similar, but this time for 'Nole,' who claimed his 23rd Grand Slam title and took the record for most major titles, eclipsing Nadal's 22. Comparisons between both players have always existed in one of the most notable rivalries in history, and this time the insight came from one of the few who has faced the two greatest Grand Slam champions in history in major finals.

"I could talk about it for hours, but I will just say that I faced Novak and Rafa in the final at Roland Garros,” the Norwegian commented. “Novak seemed easier to play against because he does not hit the ball with 40,000 RPM spin and his ball is not as heavy as Rafa's.”

“Rafa wears you down physically right from the start because every shot is very heavy to return. On the other hand, Novak plays lower and flatter, so you can hit the ball a little more easily. However, he would wear you down physically at some point as well,” the former World No. 2 added. “I think the shock or the wave comes earlier with Rafa and remains. He shows you that from the very first point. Novak is a bit different, but they are both incredible in their own way.”

Ruud fell short in both Roland Garros finals, but can still be considered among the standouts at the French Open in recent years. With a 24-8 record and two final appearances—plus the semifinals in 2024—Ruud has become one of the best on clay courts, also amassing 12 of his 14 titles on the surface. Unfortunately for him, he could not show that high level in 2025, falling surprisingly in the second round to the Portuguese Nuno Borges (6-2, 4-6, 1-6, 0-6).