Rafael Nadal re-wrote men’s tennis history on Sunday with his stirring comeback from a career-threatening knee injury to be crowned French Open champion for a record eighth time.

He scored an impressive 6-3 6-2 6-3 win over compatriot David Ferrer, playing in his first grand slam final at age 31.

Nadal moves into joint third place with Australian Roy Emerson on the all-time list of grand slam winners with 12. His staggering French Open win-loss record rises to 59-1.

The first man to win the same grand slam title on eight occasions wept as he watched the Spanish flag being hoisted above Roland Garros.

The 27-year-old Spaniard’s push to victory was interrupted when a shirtless protester leapt from the stands on Court Philippe Chatrier, carrying a flare and protesting France’s controversial same sex marriage law.

The protester, who was wrestled away by security staff, came within just a few feet of the Spaniard as he prepared to serve at 5-1 in the second set.

Nadal later admitted the injury concerns that sidelined him for seven months were far from gone and remain on his mind for the lead up to Wimbledon, the grand slam he won in 2008 and 2010.

“But the knee, some weeks I didn’t feel well but, the last couple of weeks, I start to feel my knee better,” he said.

“The knee resisted a very tough battle against (Novak Djokovic) the other day (in the semi-final).

“Today I was able to compete at 100 per cent another time, so that’s fantastic.”

Nadal had already pulled out of next week’s grasscourt tournament at Halle in Germany where he was to begin preparing for Wimbledon in two weeks.

“I will check all my body, and I really hope to be ready for Wimbledon. I won’t play a tournament before Wimbledon, so that’s not the ideal situation before a grand slam like Wimbledon that is on grass and the conditions are very different.

“It’s a tournament that is more unpredictable for that reason. But I am going to try to arrive in good shape to Wimbledon. And if not, I am going to look at the rest of the season.”

Nadal will head back to his home base on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca.

Asked if he expected a big welcoming party when he flies home, Nadal said: “No, honestly, I don’t think so.

“Maybe some of my friends, some of your friends from the press, but people down there are not doing that. I mean, they wouldn’t meet me at the airport.”