Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy trainee Casper Ruud faces his idol in a French Open final that pits the student against the master. Nadal has achieved near-mythical status over the past fortnight, while the Norwegian starlet has quietly taken care of business. The expected thunderstorms are yet to materialize so the roof's still open over Philippe Chatrier, and the players are out on court. Read on as we explain how to watch a Nadal vs Ruud live stream wherever you are today - including ways to watch the 2022 French Open final absolutely FREE.
Date: Sunday, June 5
Time: 3pm CEST (local) / 2pm BST / 9am ET / 6am PT / 11pm AEST / 1am NZST
Venue: Stade Roland Garros, Paris
FREE live stream: 9Now (opens in new tab) (AU)
Watch anywhere: Try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free (opens in new tab)
Global live streams: Peacock TV (opens in new tab) / NBC via Sling TV discount (opens in new tab) or fuboTV (opens in new tab) (US) | Discovery+ (UK) | TSN (CA)
At the age of 36 the Spaniard is as much of a showman as ever, and he's had the crowds at his beck and call for the past fortnight. After mind-boggling victories over Felix Auger-Aliassime and Novak Djokovic, he got an unexpected reprieve when his bruising semi-final clash Alexander Zverev was cut short by injury. Though it always seems that the harder he runs on the court the stronger he gets, there's no doubt that Nadal would have been extremely grateful for the rest.
Ruud may not possess the near superhuman stature of Zverev, but he makes up for it with a patient, measured baseline game that's seen him win six clay titles in his career. This, however, is his first taste of a Grand Slam final, and against a crowd favorite to boot. But Ruud is no stranger to ruining a party - just ask home hero Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who's first-round defeat to the 23-year-old drew the curtains on an 18-year career.
Only one thing's for certain - we're going to see a whole lot of forehand topspin, the fiendish lasso action pioneered by Nadal and fully embraced by Ruud. They've never played each other before, but Ruud knows Nadal's game inside-out - whether he can be the first player to beat him in a final at Roland Garros is a whole different matter. Here's how to watch a Nadal vs Ruud live stream at the 2022 French Open from wherever you are in the world.
How to watch Nadal vs Ruud for FREE
Nadal vs Ruud is available to watch absolutely FREE on 9Gem in Australia. It's due to start at 11pm AEST on Sunday night, so strap yourself in for a late one - it's the final match of the tournament after all.
Viewers can also fire up a free Nadal vs Ruud live stream on the 9Now streaming service (opens in new tab), which is compatible with most smart devices.
Alas, there aren't many fans as lucky as those Down Under. In most tennis-loving countries around the world, you have to pay for your French Open final fix.
Watch a Nadal vs Ruud live stream from outside your country
For broadcast and streaming details in more tennis-mad countries like the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand, just scroll down the page - everything you need to know is there, including details of who is showing Nadal vs Ruud.
But if you try to watch your domestic coverage from anywhere outside your home country, you'll soon find a problem - geo-blocking. That's where the broadcaster prevents you from watching your usual feed from abroad. It's a common problem for sports fans all over the world.
By downloading and installing the best VPN, you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it's back at home.
Use a VPN to watch a French Open final live stream from anywhere
How to use a VPN for Nadal vs Ruud
Using a VPN to watch French Open tennis from abroad is as easy as one-two-three...
1. Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN
2. Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location
3. Go to the broadcaster's live stream - so if you're from Australia, just head to the 9Now streaming service (opens in new tab)