Nadal wins 14th French Open crown; fans applaud King of Clay's historic feat

Spanish ace Rafael Nadal created history on Sunday by clinching his record-extending 14th French Open and 22nd overall Grand Slam crown after defeating eighth seed Casper Ruud in straight sets at Roland Garros' iconic Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Nadal, who recently turned 36, bagged the title on the Parisian clay after sweeping aside the Norweigian 6-3, 6-3, 6-0. The 22-time Grand Slam winner is now the oldest champion at Roland Garros, eclipsing 34-year-old compatriot Andres Gimeno who took the crown 50 years ago.

Nadal's record at the French Open now stands at 112 wins and just three losses. World No.1 Novak Djokovic was responsible for two of those defeats. He was only 19 when he won his first French Open in 2005.

It's been 17 years since Nadal bagged his first crown in Paris. And the Spaniard was himself surprised that he made it so far in this year's tournament, especially after a chronic left foot injury that flared up again in Rome last month.    

"Without a doubt, I'd prefer to lose the final and have a new foot," admitted Nadal, who has not hidden the brutal reality that every match he plays at Roland Garros may be his last.

Despite his fears, the 13-time French Open winner has been impressive and battled his way into Sunday's championship match against 23-year-old Ruud.

Nadal required five sets and more than four hours to defeat Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime in the last 16 before enduring another four hours to see off World No.1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals.

The Spaniard's semi-finals clash against Alexander Zverev saw an unfortunate end with the German withdrawing after suffering an ankle injury. However, in that three-hour battle, Nadal showcased an impressive presence on the court, at one point coming out on top in a lung-busting 44-shot rally.

Nadal fans expressed joy over their favourite star's historic 14th title at the Roland Garros. Here's a look at some fan reactions on Twitter: