"Most difficult challenge you can have as a player" - Casper Ruud's coach Pedro Clar on why the Norwegian was overwhelmed against Rafael Nadal in French Open final

Casper Ruud's results on clay in recent years and his build-up to the 2022 French Open final gave many the belief that the Norwegian youngster was capable of eclipsing 13-time champion Rafael Nadal, bidding for a 14th title at the Paris Major. However, the challenge of facing Nadal in a French Open final, particularly in one's maiden Grand Slam final, is the most daunting for a player, Ruud's coach Pedro Clar has expressed.

Clar is one of Ruud's coaches, with his father and former ATP top-40 player Christian Ruud also on the team as his main coach. Clar is a coach from the Rafa Nadal Academy, and both he and Ruud knew what to expect from the other side of the net in the final, having trained with Nadal on many occasions and spent a decent amount of time with him.

However, facing the Spanish great in a maiden Grand Slam final was a different ball game altogether for Ruud and he was completely thrown off his game in a 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 loss, Clar told ATPTour.com ahead of the 2022 ATP Finals.

"Playing the first Grand Slam final with Rafa at Roland Garros... is the most difficult challenge you can have as a player," Pedro Clar stated. "It was the first and perhaps having Nadal in front of him was shocking. He couldn't be himself or play his tennis."

However, Roland Garros was still a stellar campaign for Ruud, and the Norwegian built on that by making a second career Grand Slam final at the 2022 US Open. Clar shared his thoughts on the same, suggesting that while Ruud played very well in New York, he came up against Carlos Alcaraz operating at a very high level, with the No. 1 ranking and a maiden Grand Slam title both on the line in the US Open final.

"At the US Open it went from less to more in the tournament," Clar said, adding, "The last rounds he (Casper Ruud) was playing very well. In the final, Carlos [Alcaraz] was at a great level and we knew what we were up against. The two were playing a lot in that game for everything that was at stake, title and number one in the world."

Coach Pedro Clar calls Casper Ruud's 2022 season "the dream year"

Casper Ruud at the 2022 US Open - Day 14.

Ahead of his second consecutive appearance at the ATP Finals, Casper Ruud himself suggested that while it was tough to reach the top last season, it was even tougher to maintain his level this season.

Pedro Clar echoed those views and said that the margin for error was smaller for Ruud this season. Despite that, the 23-year-old Norwegian achieved his goals, making it a "dream year," according to Clar.

"It's the dream year," Clar said. "Last season ended very well, but we thought it could be improved. That's why we train. We knew that the margin was smaller, that it would be more difficult. And it has been overcome. It's been a very, very good year."

In his maiden ATP Finals in 2021, Casper Ruud reached the semifinals, losing to Daniil Medvedev. The World No. 4 opens his 2022 ATP Finals campaign on Sunday against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the opening match of the tournament. A Ruud-Nadal rematch is also scheduled during the round-robin stage this week and the Norwegian will also face Taylor Fritz in Group Green.