Djokovic wins record 23rd men’s Grand Slam with third French Open
Djokovic dispatches Casper Ruud in straight sets to break the record for most major singles trophies in men’s tennis history.
Novak Djokovic has won his men’s record 23rd Grand Slam singles title with a 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 victory over Casper Ruud in the French Open final, cementing his cause to be crowned the best player of all time.
On Sunday, the 36-year-old Serbian broke a tie with rival Rafael Nadal for the most major singles trophies in men’s tennis history, which dates back to the 19th century.
Nadal, a 14-time Roland Garros champion, missed this year’s tournament because of an injury.
This win joins Djokovic’s French Open titles in 2016 and 2021, making him the only man with at least three from each major event. Since winning his first ever Slam trophy at the 2008 Australian Open, he has collected a total of 10 there, seven at Wimbledon and three at the US Open.
Djokovic is again halfway through a calendar-year Grand Slam – winning all four majors in one season – something no one has achieved since Rod Laver in 1969. Djokovic came close to that feat in 2021, when he won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon and reached the title match at the US Open before losing to Daniil Medvedev.
Only Margaret Court and Serena Williams in women’s tennis managed to achieve 23 Grand Slam titles. Court’s all-time score of 24 will now be in Djokovic’s sights at Wimbledon next month.
There is little sign of Djokovic slowing down. He is now the oldest French Open champion, but 11 of his Slam trophies have now been won after turning 30.
On Monday he regains the world ranking and starts his 388th week in first place.
The sense of Sunday’s occasion certainly attracted sports A-listers.
NFL legend Tom Brady watched from the Djokovic box as soccer stars Kylian Mbappé and Zlatan Ibrahimovic sat side by side in the VIP area that also hosted former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, a regular this weekend.
Playing in his seventh French Open final, Djokovic boasted a career-high 4–0 record against Ruud, not having lost a single set.
However, the fourth-ranked Norwegian was the more composed of the two at the start and sprinted out of the blocks for a 2-0 lead as Djokovic fired an overhead.
Nadal’s 2022 runner-up Ruud reached to 3-0 and 4-1 before Djokovic got the break back in the seventh game as his opponent buried an easy smash into the net with an open plea. It came at the end of a long-busting 28-shot rally.
Djokovic missed a break point in the ninth game and tumbled to red clay chasing a drive from Ruud.
His frustration boiled over when he angrily accused umpire Damien Dumusois of rushing the players between changes on a tough, damp afternoon in the French capital.
Stoked, he raced through the tiebreaker and sealed the opener with a running forehand.
Tellingly, this was Djokovic’s sixth tiebreak at this French Open and in none of them had he committed a single unforced error in the 55 points contested.
Despite being twelve years younger than Djokovic, Ruud, who also lost the 2022 US Open final to Carlos Alcaraz, suddenly looked exhausted.
Djokovic broke for 2-0 in the second set and despite Ruud saving two set points in the eighth game, the Serb came closer to his dream.
Ruud saved a break point in the third game of the third set before Djokovic was cautioned for waiting too long between points.
But he was not discouraged.
Djokovic broke out of love at 6-5 and sealed his place in history when Ruud went wide.