French Open finalist Casper Ruud, who lost the Grand Slam final to his childhood idol Rafael Nadal on Sunday, cherished every moment of the match, despite losing 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in straight sets.

Ruud, who was in the stands in 2013 and watched Nadal lift the French Open, was asked which of the two – the 2013 final and the 2022 final – was more memorable.

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“Well, I enjoyed both days, but of course it was more fun to be there myself and play. Yeah, what can I say? This match will be something I will probably remember for the rest of my career,” Ruud said, responding to reporters’ questions.

“There are certain moments I think for everyone’s career that you’ll remember more than others, so this one will be high up on my list, biggest match I ever played,” the 23-year-old Norwegian added.

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“Like I have said many times before, he’s a player I have watched on TV for the last 16, 17 years. So to be there myself and face him, it’s a bit of a challenge as well but a very enjoyable one,” Ruud further said, explaining why he loved every moment of the final.

The Norwegian went on to say that he would narrate the match to his grandchildren, adding that it was an honour to be on the court with one of the greatest players in tennis history.

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“Yeah, of course I wish I could make the match closer and all these things, but at the end of the day I can hopefully one day tell my grandkids that I played Rafa on Chatrier in the final, and they will probably say, ‘Wow, did you?’ [and] I will say, ‘Yes.’ I’m probably going to enjoy this moment for a long time,” Ruud said.

While Ruud lost the final, Nadal won his 14th French Open title and the 22nd Grand Slam title of his career, establishing a lead over fellow greats Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.