Novak Djokovic, with a French Open flourish, makes his case as the best ever

On the day Novak Djokovic won his first Grand Slam title, defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of the 2008 Australian Open, Rafael Nadal, his contemporary and henceforth rival, had already claimed three. Nadal — born June 3, 1986 — is only 353 days older than Djokovic, but he was a precocious bloomer at the slams, winning his first French Open title just days after turning 19, and after Djokovic broke through in 2008, the disparity only widened. 

Nadal, trading blows in a thrilling rivalry with Roger Federer, won two of the next three French Opens, broke through at Wimbledon in 2008 and the Australian Open in 2009, and won six more Grand Slams overall before Djokovic claimed his second, which came again in Australia in 2011. 

In that moment, it would have been hard to conceive of a universe in which Djokovic might one day surpass Nadal in career Grand Slam titles. The Serbian star trailed 9-2; he was just one year younger; he was a skinny, fiery, enigmatic figure who couldn’t quite keep up with Nadal or Federer on the red clay of Roland Garros or the grass of Wimbledon. And then, for good measure, Nadal added his 10th Grand Slam just a few months later, again winning the 2011 French Open. 

And yet, that world arrived Sunday in Paris on Court Philippe-Chatrier, where Djokovic, at the age of 36, bested Casper Ruud, 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5, and collected his 23rd Grand Slam trophy, eclipsing Nadal for the men’s all-time record. 

It was the third time that Djokovic — the No. 3 seed — hoisted the French Open trophy, becoming the first man to win each major at least three times, and he tied Serena Williams with 23 career major singles titles, just one behind Australian Margaret Court.

The triumph came as Nadal spent most of the spring at home in Mallorca, Spain, resting his injured hip. And with Nadal indicating that next year may be his last before retirement, it’s possible that Djokovic could push the record even further out of reach. At the very least, it’s hard to imagine that Djokovic will stop at 23. 

“Another day, another record for you,” Ruud said, standing before the crowd and looking toward Djokovic during the trophy ceremony. “And another day you rewrite tennis history once again.”

In the weeks before the sport’s annual pilgrimage to Roland Garros, as the clay court season commenced, the biggest question on the men’s side (other than the health of Nadal) was whether 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, the tournament’s No. 1 seed, was ready to compete with Djokovic at a Grand Slam. 

Alcaraz won his first Grand Slam at last year’s U.S. Open, when Djokovic was barred from traveling to New York for the tournament due to his unvaccinated status. With Alcaraz announcing his arrival, Djokovic responded by tying Nadal with his 22nd Grand Slam title in Australia as Alcaraz missed the tournament with a leg injury. 

The French Open draw forced the collision to the semifinals, and Alcaraz appeared to be playing…