Djokovic Defeats Ruud At the French Open Earning a record-tying 23rd Grand Slam
At the French Open on Sunday, Novak Djokovic set a record by winning a record 23rd Grand Slam singles title, cementing his position at the pinnacle of men’s tennis.
In the 2023 competition’s final match, he defeated fourth seed Casper Ruud by scores of 7-6(1), 6-3, and 7-5.
The 36-year-old Serb’s victory at the Australian Open in January brought him even with Rafa Nadal in terms of 22.
After victories in 2016 and 2021, he then outran the hurt King of Clay in his home backyard to win his third Roland Garros championship.
On a momentous day on Court Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic won his 21st straight Grand Slam competition to become the first person to win all four major championships.
He has at least 3 wins in each of these tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open.
As the oldest champion in Paris, he also surpassed Nadal.
This came after a trying fortnight in which he ignored a contentious political controversy sparked by his remarks about Kosovo.
In the semifinals, he defeated Carlos Alcaraz, the top seed who was injured.
The Serb had a rocky beginning to what ended up being a one-sided final.
Early on, Djokovic had trouble finding his range and rhythm and lost his first serve game.
With a quick 4-1 lead, fourth seed Ruud got off to a strong start in his quest to earn his first victory over the Serbian in five tries.
With his massive forehands, Ruud, who finished second to Nadal in Paris last year and Alcaraz at the US Open, pushed Djokovic back.
However, his opponent was able to come back and eventually tie the game at 4-4 because he missed an overhead stroke at the net.
Football legends Kylian Mbappe and Zlatan Ibrahimovic were among the enthusiastic crowd in the stadium when Ruud volleyed home the winning goal following an excellent “tweener.”
At 5-6, Djokovic was definitely suffering the heat and humidity after falling earlier.
He yelled at the umpire over how the clock appeared to start quickly during changeovers.
However, he collected himself and forced a tie-break, which he won.
He broke his opponent early in the second set, playing in fine form as soon as he began to apply pressure.
fourth in the world Ruud’s hopes of winning his first major championship then seemed to vanish quickly as Djokovic increased his lead over the opponent.
Djokovic blasted two aces to tie the third set at 5-5 and served himself out of trouble to tie the match at 4-4.
Following a ferocious cross-court winner, he created three break points before edging ahead with a backhand rocket.
After gaining an advantage, Djokovic finished off the victory in a solid serve game on his second championship point.
He then sank to the clay and took in the cheers.
The Serbian carried on his celebrations by ascending to his players’ box and hugging his loved ones.
Then, much as he had at Melbourne Park with number 22, he wore a specially manufactured jacket with the number 23 displayed on it.
After successful campaigns in 2016 and 2021, Djokovic’s victory was the third time he has won the first two Grand Slams in a calendar year.
Many congratulations on this incredible accomplishment, @DjokerNole, tweeted 14-time Roland Garros champion Nadal.
“23 is a number that seemed unthinkable only a few years ago, and you did it! Have fun doing it with your team and family.”
