In a beautiful dance of sliding and swaying under the Paris sun, Novak Djokovic claimed the most important victory of his tennis career — the 2023 French Open title. But that isn’t just any victory. It’s the one that made history. Now, The Joker is the only tennis player to have won 23 Grand Slam titles. When everyone had written him off, he took his best game to Paris. And won with only two sets lost throughout the tournament.
It Didn’t Come Easy
Although he won the final against Norway’s No. 1 Casper Ruud in three straight sets, the road to victory was far from easy for Nole. The semi-final saw what many considered the ‘unofficial final’ between Djokovic and the then world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in an epic face-off. The players were stretched to their limit, offering their best tennis in the first two sets before Alcaraz started receiving intense muscle cramps that led to him losing the match 3-1 sets. Despite being 16 years his senior, Djokovic made a loud statement with his impeccable game that day — it ain’t over yet.
At the final, the stakes were high for The Joker. Facing both a great opponent and the weight of the occasion, he had a lot to lose. And although it took him 23 minutes to win his first game in the opening set, he powered through, offering fans a true tennis feast.
A Tennis Masterclass by Novak Djokovic
The whole 2023 French Open Tournament can best be described as a masterclass in resilience, focus, and determination by Novak Djokovic. He played 55 points in tiebreakers and committed zero unforced errors in doing so. Not only that but with his victory, he became the first man to with the so-called “Triple Slam” — winning each major at least three times.
What’s ahead for The Joker? Although 36 was once considered ‘old age’ in sports, players like Tom Brady (who was in Djokovic’s box at the final) prove that’s far from true. Who knows, 23 may not be the end for Novak Djokovic, but merely a victory along the long road ahead.