French Open Recap: Nadal reclaims his throne as Swiatek sets the new standard

What do Paris and clay have in common in May? It is simple, the French Open. The second grand of the year takes place annually on the red dirt of Roland Garros. 

This year was no different as the top players on both the ATP and WTA tours served fans the best tennis had to offer. The 2022 French Open had everything. Celebrities trooped in, players got dirty, and there were several upsets. 

However, after two weeks of exhilarating tennis, it was the usual suspects that won the men's and women's titles. 

Rafael Nadal won a record-extending 14th title while Iga Swiatek emerged as champion in the Women's section. 

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However, there were many other talking points from the tournament. Pulse Sports Nigeria reviews some of the talking points from this year's French Open. 

Twelve months ago, Nadal lost a gruelling four-setter to Novak Djokovic, who eventually went on to win the title. After the loss, it looked like the beginning of the end for Nadal. He played just one more tournament after the French Open, but it was not a comeback he wished for, as he lost to Llyod Harris in the Citi Open before pulling out of the Rogers Cup due to a foot injury. 

The Spaniard went through the knife, which raised doubt over his future in the game. However, against all odds, Nadal came back to win the Australian Open, while he also won the title in Mexico. 

Still, he was not the favourite going into this year's French Open, which looked ridiculous, considering he had won 13 titles at the event. 

His lingering foot injury was a problem, while his performance in the build-up tournaments was underwhelming. However, Nadal showed once again that you could never write him off as he came through a tough section of the draw to win his 14th title at Roland Garros and his 22nd grand slam title. 

It was not an easy route as he had to beat Felix Augier-Alliasime in five sets before taking revenge on Djokovic in a four-hour epic. He had a little bit of luck against Alexander Zverev, who pushed him to the limit before retiring in the second set of their semi-final clash. 

Nadal had a routine win in the final against Ruud to reclaim his status, not that he ever lost it, though. What made his latest success more remarkable is that Nadal had to play through the pain. 

The foot injury is still there, which raises the question of the amount of time he has left. But irrespective of what happens, this victory will always be special for the King of Clay. 

For a very long time, Women's tennis has been criticised for its volatility and unpredictability. It looked like Ashleigh Barty would put an end to the talk, but the Australian announced her shocking retirement from the game. 

Following Barty's retirement, the big question was, who would fill her shoes? Fans did not have to wait for too long for the answer as Swiatek took up the mantle. 

The Polish number World No. 1 went on a remarkable 28-match unbeaten run to arrive at the French Open as the clear favourite. 

Swiatek lived up to her tag, going all the way to win her second French Open title, which is also her second grand slam trophy. 

The 21-year-old Poland star dropped just one set on her way to beating American teenager Coco Gauff in the final. 

She is now on a 35-match winning streak. Although the WTA is still unpredictable, Swiatek has set a new level for the rest of her peers. 

Zverev was the first 'next-gen star' tipped to win a grand slam title, but at the age of 25, the German is still waiting to win his first major. 

Zverev initially found it difficult to make a deep run in slams, but he has been fairly consistent in recent years. He reached the semi-final at this year's French Open and could have won the title if things had gone his way. 

The German pushed Nadal all the way in their semi-final and should have won the first set. The second set was a keenly contested affair until Zverev rolled his ankle, which led to his retirement. 

Before retiring from the game, anything was possible for the German. But it is still a case of 'so close but still far' for the German. 

Coco Gauff was the losing finalist in the Women's final. The American teenager could not hold back the tears after losing to Swiatek. 

However, there is nothing to be sad about because she lost to the best player in the world. People tend to forget that Gauff is only 18, but she is already one of the top players in the world. 

It is only a matter of time before she wins her first major.  

While the usual suspects ended up with the two titles, it was still a tournament with upsets. From Ons Jabeur's shock first-round loss to Holger Rune beating Stefanos Tsitsipas, this year's French Open had it all. 

There were also some names that surprised many. Marin Cilic reached his first semi-final, while Italy's Martina Trevisan also had a fairytale run in the Women's section with a semi-final appearance. 

It was indeed a tournament that had it all. Next up is the glorified exhibition tournament called Wimbledon.