Novak Djokovic made history on Sunday with an unforgettable feat, becoming the most successful male singles player in tennis history. The Yugoslav-born tennis star won his 23rd Grand Slam title, exceeding Rafael Nadal’s record, after an impressive 7-6 (1); 6-3; 7-5 victory over Casper Ruud at Roland Garros.
The 36 year-old Djokovic stormed back from a 4-1 deficit to win the first set in an 82-minute tiebreak and then cruised to victory in the third set, winning the French Open for the third time in his remarkable career. With this victory, Djokovic now owns every Grand Slam at least three times, an accomplishment no other male tennis player has achieved.
The magnitude of Djokovic’s achievement was not lost on spectators and fellow athletes, including seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady and boxing heavyweight Mike Tyson, who were in attendance at the Philippe Chatrier court. Rafael Nadal extended his congratulations on social media, tweeting, “23 is a number that a few years ago was impossible to think about, and you made it! Enjoy it with your family and team!”
Following the match, Djokovic said, “It’s really hard to find the right words, I’m full of joy, fulfilled, proud and very honored. To have equaled this number of titles is something unforgettable and indescribable.”
With the win, Djokovic solidifies himself as the man to beat on the tour and puts himself in contention for another year of domination. Now at #1 in the world rankings, the Serbian star is poised to make another run at Wimbledon, where the tournament begins on July 3. All eyes will be on him to see if he can continue to break records and further cement his legacy as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.