Rafael Nadal ended the ATP Finals in Turin for the 2022 season when he defeated Casper Ruud 7-5 7-5 in the last match of the Green Group.
The first seed raised the level of the game in the last match of the group phase. He used fast conditions to his advantage by shooting some of his trademark ball strikes at the Pala Alpitour. He hit 37 winners, more than the 19 won by Norwegian international Ruud and he won 93 per cent of the points from his first serve to seal victory in one hour and 43 minutes.
“I’ve been training well,” said Nadal after claiming his first singles match win since last September at the US Open.
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“It’s just that maybe I didn’t play enough games to be at the level I need to be. Not enough confidence, maybe after a pretty tough six months. That’s what happened. I accept that this season didn’t end the way I wanted, but at least I finished on a positive note.”
“It’s important, the last official game of the season, so I’m happy for that. In the end, I feel good about it. I was able to win against great tennis players.”
With this victory, the Spanish tennis player finished the ATP Finals with 1-2. The tennis player, who has won four titles this season, including the Australian Open and the French Open, ended her 2022 season 39-8.
“I can’t force things more,” added Nadal who is currently ranked 2nd in the world. “In 2022 I had a tough six months, won two Grand Slam titles and finished the season pretty high ranked. So, I can’t complain. At my age, being able to achieve that and being able to compete means a lot to me.”
“For the 2023 season, I’m just going to try to have the right preparation, train in the right way and start the new season with the right energy, the right attitude, get to the level I need to be competitive from the start.”
When asked about the motivation to finish convincingly against Ruud despite having no chance of making the semifinals of the ATP Finals, Rafael Nadal replied, “In the end, personal satisfaction is more important than any title. If I don’t try my best, if I don’t be on my best behavior at every moment, then I can’t go home, stay happy, and be calm with myself.”
Despite the loss, Ruud still advanced to the semifinals of the ATP Finals for the second time in a row. The one remaining spot from the Green Group will be won by Felix Auger Aliassime or Taylor Fritz.
