Rafa Nadal bidding to become French Open's oldest champion - in pictures

36-year-old Spaniard going for his 14th Roland Garros crown against Norwegian Casper Ruud

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  2005 (beat Mariano Puerta 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5): At just 19, Nadal became the youngest winner of a grand slam title since Michael Chang won at Roland Garros in 1989 at 17. He was the first man since Mats Wilander in 1982 to win the French Open on his debut. Puerta was to later fail a drugs test and handed an eight-year ban, eventually reduced to two years. Stephane Cardinale/ Getty Images

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  2006 (beat Roger Federer 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6): Nadal became the first man to beat Federer in a major final, ending the Swiss star's hopes of holding all four majors at the same time. It was Nadal's 60th win in a row on clay. Clive Brunskill / Getty Images

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  2007 (beat Roger Federer 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4): Nadal, 21, became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win three successive titles at Roland Garros. He again also shattered Federer's hopes of becoming only the third man in history to hold all four majors. Clive Brunskill / Getty Images

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  2008 (beat Roger Federer 6–1, 6–3, 6–0): Nadal condemned his great rival to his worst ever loss in a grand slam event. The Spaniard also won the title without losing a set, becoming the third man to do so in the Open era after Ilie Nastase and Borg. Julian Finney / Getty Images

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  2010 (beat Robin Soderling 6–4, 6–2, 6–4): Nadal avenged his defeat to the Swede at Roland Garros 12 months earlier. Again, Nadal finished the tournament without having dropped a set. He also regained the world No 1 ranking for the first time since July 2009. Julian Finney / Getty Images

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  2011 (beat Roger Federer 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1): Nadal claimed his sixth French Open to equal the record of Borg, also taking his major total into double figures at 10. Federer had ended Novak Djokovic's 43-match undefeated run in the semi-finals. Jacques Demarthon / AFP

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  2012 (beat Novak Djokovic 6–4, 6–3, 2–6, 7–5): Nadal goes past Borg's record of six titles and ends Djokovic's bid to be the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four majors. Rain meant that the final was completed on Monday which was tough on Djokovic who was a break up in the fourth set when the match was halted for the night. Clive Brunskill / Getty Images

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  2013 (beat David Ferrer 6–3, 6–2, 6–3): Nadal comfortably beats his compatriot for an eighth French Open but the hard yards were achieved in the semi-finals when he defeated Djokovic 6–4, 3–6, 6–1, 6–7, 9–7 in a 4-hour 37-minute epic. Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP

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  2014 (beat Novak Djokovic 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4): Title No 9 in his ninth final for Nadal and his 14th grand slam success on an afternoon where temperatures nudged 30 degrees. It was his 45th career clay-court title. Miguel Medina / AFP

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  2017 (beat Stan Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1): Nadal coasts to a record 10th French Open title, demolishing Wawrinka in a brutally one-sided final which also earns the Spaniard a 15th grand slam crown. Nadal, 31, becomes the first man in history to win the same major 10 times. It is his most one-sided final win since allowing Federer just four games in the 2008 final. Julian Finney / Getty Images

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  2018 (beat Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-3, 6-2): Nadal moves to 17 grand slam titles with a straightforward victory over Austrian Thiem. Nadal endured a nervy conclusion to the final, however, when he needed treatment in the third set for a finger injury. Charles Platiau / Reuters

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  2019 (beat Dominic Thiem 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1): Nadal overcomes dropping the second set by racing to victory over Thiem for the second successive year. The 33-year-old, seemingly angered by losing a set in the final for the first time since 2014, crushes the Austrian in the third and fourth sets to make it 12 titles and take his win-loss record at Roland Garros to a staggering 93-2. Christophe Ena / AP Photo

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  2020 (beat Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5): One of the most dominant displays of Nadal's spellbinding career as he takes Djokovic apart in straight sets. Served it out to love with an ace. 13 French Open titles. 100-2 at Roland Garros. Astonishing. Reuters

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  2022 (beat Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0): Another stunning display from the Spaniard against the Norwegian eighth seed appearing in his first Grand Slam final. All the more incredible as Nadal had been struggling for months with injuries. Now 112-3 at Roland Garros. Getty

Rafael Nadal will become the oldest man to win the French Open title on Sunday if he defeats Casper Ruud, the Norwegian whose clay court talents he has personally helped foster.

Nadal will be playing in his 14th Roland Garros final and 30th overall at the Grand Slams.

Victory will deliver a record-extending 22nd major and 14th French Open, 17 years after his title-winning debut in Paris as a 19-year-old.

The 36-year-old Nadal is, however, as surprised as anyone to have got this far.

A chronic left foot injury which has plagued him throughout his career flared up again in Rome last month, putting a serious question mark over him even making it to the French capital.

"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.

Nadal's record at the French Open now stands at 111 wins and just three losses.

All his French Open triumphs can be seen in the picture gallery above. To see the next image, just swipe.