Novak Djokovic triumphed at the Roland Garros 2023, putting an end to all the questions and doubts that still meandered among the media, insiders and fans: the Serbian is the GOAT of tennis, perhaps the greatest athlete in the history of all sports.
The Serbian has once again rewritten the history of tennis, eclipsing the other two giants of tennis (and sports), Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Novak has won at least all the Grand Slams three times, need to say more?
Grand Slam title number 23: no one in the history of men’s tennis like him, equaling Queen Serena Williams in the history of men’s and women’s tennis. The third Slam title in Paris, in a court hostile to him, considering the dominance of Rafael Nadal. And minus one entitled Margaret Smith Court.
“Victory belongs to the toughest.” These words are engraved on the stone of the Philippe Chatrier, main court of the Roland Garros Stadium. A phrase that describes many, many champions who have won and won hands down on this court. On this occasion, however, nothing other than this sentence can describe Novak Djokovic. The most tenacious. The most successful.
Novak wins his way. In a crescendo from the first to the last exchange, in a departure that seems to be with the handbrake but which reaches the final finish line in fifth gear. It is, in fact, the start that was expected from the number three in the world, perhaps less from his opponent: Djokovic extremely passive, Ruud very enterprising.
The Norwegian immediately frames the tactical plan in order not to give reference to his opponent, with a high and worked ball, particularly loaded, which puts the current number three in the world in difficulty. Who misses on the backhand and above all on the forehand, also thanks to the legs that don’t work also due to the tension.
To save the situation from the Serbian side is the serve, a shot that allows him to recover the disadvantage after the break in the second game. The balance is precarious, but enough to go from 4-1 Ruud to the tie-break.
And here there is only one law: that of Novak Djokovic. When the stakes rise, the Serbian levels up, playing a perfect tie-break, another in this Roland Garros without unforced errors, and wins the first set.
It is perhaps not a universally recognized law, but it is still a rule that Djokovic, after such a tie-break, concedes little or nothing. Ruud’s assist, however, is perfect: having forgotten the loaded ball, he tries to make a battle of strength against the Serbian.
He lost for several reasons, from the tension that blocks him to the mentality of no longer being able to hold on to the match. At 5-2, he manages to cancel two set points on his serve, but the epilogue of this partial is also around the corner.
In the third the symphony changes slightly, with Ruud ready to suffer in order not to let go of all hope: called to risk more, he decreases the number of mistakes don’t force yourself, especially on his serve.
He regains confidence both on the forehand and on the backhand, which allows him to extend the set: only one short ball granted to the Grand Slam champion, but cancelled. At 5-5, however, it’s Novak Djokovic’s time, as has happened in the other 22 Grand Slam finals won.
He wants the Grand Slam title, he wants it before the tie-break and he succeeds, finding the lines and leaving the Norwegian a spectator of his plays. When he went to serve for the match he made no mistake: this is not New York, this is not Flushing Meadows, there is no tension that hinders him, there are tears of defeat, but there is victory and there is is the story. No doubts, Novak Djokovic is the GOAT.