PARIS — Novak Djokovic has been very open about his intentions for years. what motivated him. Novak Djokovic’s major goal was to win the biggest trophies on the biggest platforms in his sport, and now that he has accomplished that, he stands alone — ahead of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and every other guy to have ever picked up a racket.
If Novak Djokovic could wait this long to hold this record, he could undoubtedly wait the 30-45 minutes it took for his swings to become more uniform in the French Open final. So, on Sunday, after a little bit of a rocky start in the heavy, muggy air and behind the ominous charcoal clouds, he asserted himself. Casper Ruud, the opponent at Court Philippe Chatrier, never had a chance after that.
Novak Djokovic beat Ruud 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 to win his men’s-record 23rd Grand Slam singles title, breaking a tie with Nadal and moving three ahead of the retiring Federer. The match lasted 3 hours, 13 minutes, and for the majority of that time, there was little genuine doubt as to the outcome.
The 36-year-old Serbian Djokovic, who also won the French Open in 2016 and 2021, is the only person to have won at least three of each major tournament. He has taken home 10 medals at the Australian Open, 7 from Wimbledon, and 3 from the U.S. Open.
With a victory over Ruud that was really never in doubt for the majority of its 3 hours, 13 minutes, Djokovic won his men’s-record 23rd Grand Slam singles title, breaking a tie with Nadal and moving three in front of the retired Federer.
Djokovic, a 36-year-old Serbian, adds it to the French Open titles he won in 2016 and 2021, making him the only person to have at least three victories from each major competition. He has won three U.S. Open championships, seven Wimbledon championships, and ten Australian Open championships.
He has now won the trophy at 11 of the previous 20 Slams, an impressive record made even more so when you realise that he missed two big events during those time because he did not receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Prior to the Australian Open in January 2021, Djokovic was deported from Australia, and before the U.S. Open last year, he was prohibited from travelling by air due to a restriction that has since been overturned.
By reaching 23, Novak Djokovic not only breaks the record for men, but also ties Serena Williams, whose career came to an end last year, for the most wins in the Open era, which began in 1968.Some of Margaret Court’s 24 Slam titles, a record, were won during the amateur period.
Novak Djokovic won the singles title at Roland Garros 20 days past his 36th birthday, making him the tournament’s oldest singles champion. Red clay, which is slower underfoot than other surfaces like grass or hard courts, is what makes this major’s lengthy, grinding matches so difficult.
Two days after he turned 36, Nadal’s 22nd major tournament arrived in Paris last year. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on June 2 and has been out since January due to a hip issue.
