Nadal is Real keen to catch the No.14

TENNIS

Rafael Nadal v

Casper Ruud Today, 2pm BY NEIL McLEMAN in Paris RAFA NADAL has been hailed as the Real Madrid of tennis ahead of his bid for 14th French Open title.

Norway’s Casper Ruud, who trains at Nadal’s Mallorca academy, reckons facing the Spaniard in the final here is probably “the greatest challenge” in sport.

The King of Clay has played 13 finals at Roland Garros - and won them all. And the 36-year-old has lost only three of his 114 matches here since his winning debut here in 2005.

The Real Madrid fan was at the Stade de France last Saturday to see Los Blancos win a 14th Champions League title against Liverpool.

The next day he needed to come through a five-set battle against Felix Auger-Aliassime and then knocked out world

No.1 Novak Djokovic in an epic quarter-final.

He is now one win away from a 22nd Grand Slam title despite a chronic foot problem which makes him a doubt for Wimbledon.

Nadal’s uncle and former coach Toni said: “Everyone wants to dethrone him - that’s normal. We have seen it with football this season. Madrid were under pressure against PSG, Manchester City and they won. The people who fight are usually there at the end to win the trophies. And Rafael is a fighter. And I always believe that when he goes out on court, if he is fit, he is the player to beat.”

No.8 seed Ruud is the first Norwegian to ever reach a Grand Slam final but the 23-year-old said: “At least he is playing a student from his academy this time. So it is going to be a fun one hopefully.”