Novak Djokovic secures ‘historic’ 23rd Grand Slam win, Rafael Nadal congratulates him on reaching ‘impossible’ number

Paris: Novak Djokovic made it clear for years that this was his goal. What drove him what inspired him The biggest title on one of the biggest stages of his game was Djokovic’s main objective and now he finally stands alone – ahead of Rafael Nadal, ahead of Roger Federer, ahead of every man who has ever held a racket. If Djokovic could wait that long to maintain this record, he certainly could have waited the half hour or so it took to straighten his stroke in the French Open final. And so, after a slightly shaky start to Sunday amid thick, moist air and foreboding clouds, he planted himself. Court Philippe Chatrier’s opponent, Caspar Ruud, never really became a serious opportunity after that.

Djokovic broke a tie with Nadal and made three moves past a retired Federer to win 7–6(1), 6–3, 7–5 over Ruud, who was not in his match. Doubt for most of its 3 hours, 13 minutes.

Djokovic puts it alongside the French Open titles he earned in 2016 and 2021, making him the only man with at least three from each major. She won her first title at the 2008 Australian Open and now has a total of 10 trophies, seven from Wimbledon and three from the US Open. “I knew going into the tournament, going into the match, especially, today, that there was history on the line, but I was going to put my focus and my thoughts into preparing for this match, trying to prepare in the best possible way to win.” Just like any other match,” Djokovic said, wearing a red jacket with “23” stitched across the chest. “Of course I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about the finish line being there and one more match needed to win the trophy – a historic one.”

Special moment with ball kids _ #Roland Garros @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/RzqEsHNdKs— roland-garros (@rolandgarros) June 11, 2023

Also worth noting: He’s again halfway to a calendar year Grand Slam — winning all four majors in one season — something no man has accomplished since Rod Laver in 1969. Djokovic came close in 2021, when he won the Australian Open, the French Open and made it to the title match at Wimbledon and the US Open before losing to Daniil Medvedev.

Djokovic will resume his campaign at Wimbledon starting on July 3 on the grass of the All England Club. , “The day we got here, he was better, he was more motivated, he was more hungry. He played better and better every day.”

Entering the 2011 season, the slam count looked like this: 16 for Federer, nine for Nadal, one for Djokovic. “It’s been a good 12 years for me,” Djokovic said with a smile.

The ascent began with a treble that year and has accelerated recently: he captured the trophy at 11 of the last 20 Slams, a remarkable run made even more so when considering that during that period he Has not participated in two major competitions because he has not been vaccinated against COVID-19. Djokovic was deported ahead of the Australian Open in January 2021, and was not allowed to fly to the United States before last year’s US Open under a rule that has since been lifted.

Reaching 23 not only sets the mark for men, but it also gives Djokovic a chance to equal Serena Williams, who finished her career last year, as the most in the Open Era, which began in 1968. Was. Margaret Court won some of them. All time record of 24 Slam trophies in the amateur era.

20 days after his 36th birthday, the Serb is the oldest singles champion at Roland Garros, considered one of the grueling majors because of the long, grinding points required on red clay, which is slower than grass or hard courts . ,

Nadal’s 22nd major arrived in Paris a year ago, two days after he turned 36. He had been out since January with a hip injury and had arthroscopic surgery on 2 June. concluded. “23 is a number that was (impossible) to think of a few years ago, and you made it!”

many congratulations for this wonderful achievement @DjokerNole
23 is a number that was impossible to think of just a few years ago, and you did it!
Enjoy it with your family and team! __ — Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) June 11, 2023

Djokovic’s victory on Sunday means he will return to No. 1 in the ATP rankings on Monday, replacing Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic has already spent more weeks in the top spot than any player – man or woman – since the introduction of computerized tennis rankings half a century ago. It was Djokovic who edged out Alcaraz in the semifinals on Thursday, downing him in two thrilling sets until the 20-year-old Spaniard suffered a bad body cramp. Alcaraz continued to play, but the scores of the last two sets of the four-set match told the story: 6-1, 6-1.

It was the third Slam final in the last five events for the 24-year-old Rudd from Norway, but he is now 0-3. He had lost to Nadal at the French Open a year ago and to Alcaraz at the US Open last September.

Perhaps due to an awareness of what was at stake, Djokovic, in his 34th major final, was off to a shaky start. Rude said of his opponent, “Probably feeling a little nervous, a little tense.”

But by the end of the first set, Djokovic was completely Djokovic-esque, as he took 12 of the last 13 points of the match, most to the audience’s roar of his two-syllable nickname, “No-lay! No.” -Lay! No-Lay!

When Rude’s last miscue was out, Djokovic fell on his back and spread his legs.