Novak Djokovic breaks Casper Ruud to set up victory with 23rd Grand Slam title. Indeed, it was an outrageously good game and the pinnacle of his career, as he made history on Sunday in Paris to become the first man to reach 23 Grand Slam titles, equalling Serena Williams’ Open Era record in the process.
The 36-year-old, who had not reached a final since his run to the Australian Open title in January, was simply too good for Casper Ruud, who could only watch on as the Serb produced an utterly dominant display on serve.
Djokovic surpassed Rafael Nadal with his 23rd Grand Slam title – a men’s record – as he outclassed Ruud to win a third Roland-Garros crown.
After playing a flawless tie-break in the first set, the Serb ripped away from Ruud to win 7-6(1) 6-3 7-5 and further cement his claim to be the GOAT (greatest of all time), Eurosport reports.
He now shares the Open Era record of major titles with American great Serena Williams, while he is the first man to win all four Slams at least three times.
“I’m really delighted to be here to share this special moment in my career with you,” Djokovic told the crowd in his post-match interview.
“A coincidence that I’ve won my 23rd Grand Slam here in Paris, this tournament has always been the hardest to win for me so I’m very emotional right now, it means a lot to me.
“I’ve experienced a lot of things on the court and off the court. I’m really honoured to be here on this special court. Thanks for your energy today and throughout the tournament.”
Ruud made a lightning start on Court Philippe-Chatrier as he raced into a 3-0 lead, but Djokovic slowly warmed to his task and broke back as the quality ramped up.
The Norwegian, playing in his third major final in the last 12 months, had an opening at 0-30 when leading 5-4, but was too passive as Djokovic turned aggressor to win four points in succession for a big hold.
After Djokovic had a terse exchange with umpire Benoit Dumusois, who he felt was rushing him at the changeovers, the set went to a tie-break. And Djokovic played one of the finest of his career.
A bullet forehand down the line kicked it off in style before he produced an outrageous display of attacking tennis to leave Ruud floundering on the other side of the court. Soon, he was celebrating the first set after romping through the breaker 7-1. History beckoned.
‘What a shot’ – Djokovic piles pressure on Ruud in first set tie-break
Djokovic had only lost a Grand Slam final on three occasions after winning the opening set, from a possible 17, and after a lengthy break he came out firing again. He held his opening service game, broke immediately and then stayed solid on his own serve to charge through the second and suck the energy from the underdog-rooting crowd.
Ruud needed something – but each time he came good, Djokovic responded with something better. An outstanding volley from the Norwegian early in the third set was trumped moments later by a howitzer from Djokovic down the line. Still, Ruud’s first serve was belatedly starting to find its target with regularity and he held firm to stay in the set.
Finally, he had another look at the Djokovic serve at 0-30 when 4-3 ahead, only to see his opponent profit from a fortuitous net cord. As Djokovic wriggled out of trouble, via a time violation warning and a flurry of rogue shouts from the crowd, the outcome – if it did not already – looked inevitable.
And so it proved just three games later as Djokovic flashed a cross-court winner to earn three break points at 5-5, with Tim Henman applauding his latest “unplayable” shot on Eurosport commentary. Another winner followed, leaving the Serb serving for another piece of history.
The only signs of nerves came at 40-0 when a tight forehand sailed well wide, but he was soon celebrating his 23rd major title as he pulled clear of injured clay-court king Nadal (22) and the retired Roger Federer (20) in the race for immortality.
“I am beyond fortunate in my life to win 23 Grand Slams, it’s an incredible feeling,” said Djokovic.
“I would like to use the moment… my kids are here and I always try to convey some values, some messages, something they can learn from and draw some inspiration.
“I would just like to send a message to every young person out there whatever you are persuading whether it is tennis, sports, anything else. I was a seven-year-old dreaming I could win Wimbledon and become number one in the world someday.
“As I said I’m beyond blessed that I can be standing here with so many incredible achievements but one thing is for sure – I believed I could have the power to create my own destiny. I could visualise every single thing in my life, not only believe it but really feel it with every cell of my body.
“Stay in the present, let go of the past, the future is just going to happen but if you want a better future, take the means in your hands, believe it, create it.”
