Novak Djokovic solidified his dominance in men's tennis by defeating Casper Ruud in the French Open final, securing his 23rd Grand Slam title. The Serbian champion triumphed in straight sets, 7-6 (7-1), 6-3, 7-5, earning his third French Open victory.
Djokovic showcased his resilience, rallying from a 3-0 deficit in the first set to force a tiebreaker, which he decisively won. He maintained his momentum throughout the match, displaying exceptional skill and control, particularly in the final two games of the third set with impressive cross-court shots that Ruud couldn't reach.
With this win, Djokovic surpasses Rafael Nadal's record of 22 Grand Slam titles. Nadal had defeated Ruud in the 2022 French Open final, claiming his 14th title on the clay court. However, Djokovic had been closing in, having won Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open in 2023.
Entering the tournament as the third seed, Djokovic faced tough competition, including Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, the first and second seeds respectively. Nadal's absence due to injury opened up the draw. Djokovic's path to victory included wins over Aleksander Kovacevic, Marton Fucsovics, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, JP Varillas, Karen Khachanov, and Alcaraz. His only dropped set came against Khachanov in the quarterfinals.
Djokovic now sets his sights on Wimbledon in July, aiming for a third Grand Slam title this year. He will also be able to compete in the U.S. Open later this summer due to the lifting of the U.S. COVID vaccine mandate.
For Ruud, this marks his third Grand Slam final loss, having been defeated in consecutive French Open finals and the 2022 U.S. Open final. At 24 years old, Ruud holds 10 career titles and a 192-104 career record.
