Novak Djokovic plays against Sebastian Ofner during day five of the World Tennis League on the Coca-Cola Arena on December 23, 2022 in Dubai.
Christopher Pike | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
Novak Djokovic has made it clear over time that that is his goal. What drove him. What inspired him. The most important titles on the largest stages of his sport have been Djokovic’s fundamental goal, and now he’s finally alone – in front of Rafael Nadal, in front of Roger Federer, in front of each man who has ever waved a racket.
If Djokovic could wait that long to interrupt that record, he actually could have waited the half hour or so it took him to straighten his punches French Open final. And so, after a somewhat shaky start in thick, humid air and ominous clouds of charcoal on Sunday, it imposed itself. Philippe Chatrier’s Court opponent, Casper Ruud, never had a serious probability after that.
Djokovic won his men’s record 23rd Grand Slam singles championship by breaking the tie with Nadal and moving three ahead of the retired Federer, with a 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5 victory over Ruud that was truly beyond doubt by most of its 3 hours and 13 minutes.
Djokovic, a 36-year-old from Serbia, puts that alongside the French Open titles he won in 2016 and 2021, making him the one man to carry at the very least three from every major event. He won 10 trophies on the Australian Open, seven at Wimbledon and three on the US Open.
It is also value noting: Djokovic is again halfway to a calendar yr Grand Slam – winning all 4 Majors in a single season – something no man has achieved since Rod Laver in 1969. Djokovic got here near achieving this feat in 2021 as he won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon and made it all of the technique to the title match on the US Open before losing to Daniil Medvedev.
Djokovic will resume this pursuit at Wimbledon starting on the grass of the All England Club on July 3.
He has now grabbed the trophy in 11 of the last 20 Grand Slams, a remarkable feat, especially since he has not competed in two Grand Slams during that period as he has not been vaccinated against COVID-19. Djokovic was deported from Australia in January 2021 ahead of the Australian Open and was not allowed to fly to the USA ahead of last yr’s US Open under a rule that has since been lifted.
Turning 23 not only sets a mark for men, but in addition allows Djokovic to match Serena Williams, who ended her profession last yr, essentially the most with anyone within the Open Era that began in 1968. Margaret Court won a few of her all-time record 24 slam trophies within the amateur era.
20 days after his thirty sixth birthday, Djokovic is the oldest Roland Garros singles champion, considered essentially the most grueling of the majors as a result of the long, sharp points required by the red clay, which is slower than grass or hard courts underfoot elsewhere.
Nadala 22 major he arrived in Paris two days after he turned 36. Was suspended since January through a hip injury and underwent arthroscopic surgery on June 2.
As if that wasn’t enough, Sunday’s triumph for Djokovic also means he’ll return to No. 1 within the ATP rankings on Monday, replacing Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic has already spent more weeks at primary than some other player – male or female – for the reason that computerized tennis rankings began half a century ago.
It was Djokovic who knocked out Alcaraz in Thursday’s semi-final, exhausting him in two thrilling sets until the 20-year-old Spaniard’s body shrank. Alcaraz played on, but the outcomes of the last two sets of the four-setter match said all of it: 6-1, 6-1.
For Ruud, a 24-year-old from Norway, it was his third Grand Slam final within the last five events, but he’s now 0-3. He lost to Nadal on the French Open last yr and Alcaraz on the US Open last September.