Novak Djokovic is one win away from becoming the all-time leader with 23 men’s singles Grand Slam titles.
Djokovic’s biggest rivals–Rafael Nadal, with whom he is tied at 22, and Roger Federer–can’t stop him. The world No. 1–Carlos Alcaraz–already tried and failed to stop him in the French Open semifinals on Friday. All that’s left standing in his way in Sunday’s championship match is Casper Ruud, who is 22 slam titles behind Djokovic with zero.
That’s not to say Ruud should be discounted. The Norwegian has twice come within one win of his own major title but lost to Nadal in the 2022 Roland Garros final and to Alcaraz a few months later in the U.S. Open final. Will the third time be the charm for Ruud? The world No. 4 has given himself another opportunity following victories over Elias Ymer, Giulio Zeppieri, Zhizhen Zhang, Nicolas Jarry, Holger Rune, and Alexander Zverev.
Back on his favorite clay-court surface, Ruud has heated up in a major way over the past couple of weeks. He reached the Geneva final and has been especially impressive over the last three rounds, avenging his Geneva loss to Jarry, beating a red-hot Rune, and crushing Zverev while dropping a total of just one set in those matches.
Now the competition level gets a lot tougher, just as it did in the 2022 Roland Garros final against Nadal. Djokovic had also underwhelmed at times this season, but as usual he is a whole different beast at Grand Slams. The 36-year-old Serb triumphed at the Australian Open and he finds himself in the French Open final following victories over Aleksandar Kovacevic, Marton Fucsovics, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Juan Pablo Varillas, Karen Khachanov, and Alcaraz.
“It’s going to be tough, for sure,” Ruud commented. “He’s playing for his 23rd; I’m playing for my first. So I’m going to just try to play without pressure and just try to enjoy the moment. I think that was my mentality last year, as well, and it didn’t go my way. Obviously I would like to try to do better than last year. Let’s see if I have learned something from the two previous ones that I played.”
Said Djokovic: “Experience on my side, but does it win matches? I don’t think so. I just have to recover well, be prepared for another long battle, and, you know, after the finals, if I win, let’s talk about history.”
It could, in fact, be a battle–at least for a while. Ruud was in uncharted territory in the 2022 title match against Nadal, who has always been his idol. Unsurprisingly, that was too difficult of a situation for the underdog and he got blown out 6-3, 6-3, 6-0. Ruud improved dramatically in the U.S. Open final, succumbing to Alcaraz 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-3. Those experiences can only help the 24-year-old, who will undoubtedly be motivated to do everything he can to prevent Djokovic from passing Nadal.
All of that being said, Djokovic is once again looking like the best player in the world and nowhere is that more obvious than at the Grand Slam level–specifically in slam finals. This may not be a complete rout, but come Sunday evening in Paris we will almost certainly be talking about history.
Pick: Djokovic in 4
[yop_poll id=”303″]
who ya got?
Rudd
Novak in 3.
“Novak Djokovic is one win away from becoming the all-time leader with 23 men’s singles Grand Slam titles.
The two players he is tied with–Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer–can’t stop him.”
Tied with Roger, in what?!
Hate to tell you but history means nothing to you when you’re dead – it’s as good to you as a homeless person on the street
“it’s as good to you as it is to a homeless in the street”.
A God doesn’t care how many tennis events you won because you have a massive ego and can’t handle losing.
But God, I worked out the technique to not miss on the backend – doesn’t that make me special.
Nope, sorry dude, I don’t give two fcks about your take back on the backhand.
Novak 3-1, obviously.
Freudian slip – the chart’s options = Joker v Rafa . . . What we’re all thinking, of course 😉
I picked Rafa in 3.
Would certainly be a way way better final.
Rafa playing Novak for #23 could have been one of the greatest matches ever.
One good thing is that at the end of this Alcaraz is #2 and Djokovic #1 so we hopefully stop getting these lopsided draws with damp squib finals.
Anyway, in a few weeks time Novak will almost certainly be on #24. I don’t mind about that. What I mind is Rafa being out with injury.
I remember after AO Goran spoke at length about how he really wanted Rafa and Novak both to be healthy and slug it out at RG for #23.
Said Rafa,was the man to beat and RG was the home of Rafa as AO was the home of Novak.
😪😪😪😪
Nole for 23! What an achievement it will be, fingers crossed, no hiccups. Didn’t expect him to beat Alcaraz (cramps notwithstanding, didn’t expect it to be so close for first 2 sets).
Novak was clearly the better player for the first set and a half!
I just can’t see Rudd taking 3 sets off Novak, he’s just another level above everyone else, to be honest I think it’s him and the rest, Stan, Murray, shadows of their former selves, Rafa injured, Fed retired, good time to clean up, PEACE ✌️
agree with what you say Alison but Alcaraz is a real contender for the future. In terms of talent he is streets ahead of anyone else.
But Novak needs a real rival and, as he always says, his greatest rival is Rafa.
By streets ahead of anyone else obviously I mean compared with his generation…
Tennis is a hell of a thing…………we’ve seen so many impossible things happen in tennis already…………I’m just hoping for a competitive match. However I do believe Rudd will give a good account of himself!!
Vamos Rudd!! 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
any news on Novak’s wrist?
There is NO wrist injury!!!! He’s just good at playing possum………..there’s always something that’s nothing!!!!
wwafa never loses when healthy. that’s reach coming from a wafa fan.
Sorry Mona but it’s absolutely clear to me he has a problem. Around the time he took the MTO his level dropped and he was shaking his arm.
“There is NO wrist injury!!!! He’s just good at playing possum………..there’s always something that’s nothing!!!!”
Says Rafa fan!
Ruud’s biggest drawcard is that it’s within his power to prevent Djokovic from surpassing his good buddy Nadal. He might be better at serving others than serving himself in this type of situation.
wafatards on a wafa infested portal have lot of trouble picking Novak for the win, and hoping that ruud will protect wafa’s legacy. ain’t happening.
I am not interested in Rudd protecting Rafa’s legacy!! I want Rudd to give a good account of himself and play a great match regardless of whom is on the other side of the net! I want Rudd to start his OWN legacy!!
And as for Novak.s wrist/shoulder injury……..pfffffffft!!!
Lets hope this match doesn’t turn out as ugly and heartless as the last one.
Hope so too, Tom!!
Hoping it’s not a beat down and Ruud at least gets a set.
Novak playing awful.
Is this gonna be like how Novak played \USO 21!
Or Rudd is playing well?
Novak has hit 11 ues already. Is clearly very tense.
Y should Novok be tense? Its supposed to be a walk over!! No contest!!! What is he tense about?! Rudd should be tense!
Anyway Rudd may go down but at least he’s giving a great account of himself thus far and I love what i’m seeing!! Bring it on, Rudd!! VAMOS!!!
Because he is playing for history! He was like this when playing for all 4 in the same year at USO 21. Was consumed by tension.
I’m thinking the same thing amy!..he could be nervous & overwhelmed too!..but..still early..question now,whether Ruud can stay motivated & focus for 4,5 sets?
At the USO21 Novak was tense fur the whole match mira.
If he continues like this he will lose.
It’s not really about Ruud. If he was playing like this against a number of players he would lose.
Look at that missed smash by Novak! Pure tension.
Well that’s what happened with Stan when Novak was going for his first French! But to me nerves and Novak do not go in the same sentence, lol!!
Oh, NOW they’re talking about Rudd’s strategy! Hahahaha……thought he didn’t have any?!!!
I can’t believe those commentators……saying they see no clear strategy in Rudd’s game is just that he has benefited from Novak’s sluggish start! These commentators are so biased!!!
Rudd is playing GREAT!!! Just admit it!! Hes doing everything right except his serves need to be a bit better……the placement at least. Sigh!!
Damn it, Rudd!!! He just gave that game away!!!! Choopz!!!!
There really isn’t a lot on some of these shots by Novak. Serve speeds down as well.
A good strategy would be to endlessly lob Novak since he seems incapable of hitting the smash.
See!!! Yet again he won’t smash the ball!
Inexcusable miss by Ruud at 30 all on a slow second serve..
Ruud is getting caught flat footed. He’s not anticipating like he usually does and waiting to see what Djokovic does next.
At least Ruud is pushing him physically. Even if he loses this set, he’s a chance.
Ruud is getting caught flat footed. He’s not anticipating like he usually does and waiting to see what Djokovic does next.
At least Ruud is pushing him physically. Even if he loses this set, he’s a chance..
Ruud has played really well but Djok’s level in the tie break was amazing. All over now, I fear.
Usually I would agree with you but that might but necessarily be the case given their ages differences and how much Djokovic has been pushed physically. If Ruud starts playing freely like he has this RG, things could get interesting. Maybe he needed to lose that set.
Finally Novak starts to play! After an atrocious first set he raises his level for the tb.
If Rafa had played Novak today and Novak had played the same he would have bagelled him.
What is wrong with Novak’s bh? Before the tb he hadn’t hit a single winner with it. Not sure he hit one in the tb.
Rudd’s serves are a SERIOUS liability!!! Ure can’t be serving in a GS final with these poor serves!!! Especially in a TB……..with Nole!!!
VAMOS, Rudd!!!
Delpo just tweeted that Novak played a bad set but still managed to win. True!
That’s y he has 22 GSs! Rafa does the same in many cases!! We sit there pulling our hair and yet Rafa is still able to pull through! If Rudd’s serves were better he would have perhaps serve for the set and won!
if Novak had played like that against Rafa Rafa would have slaughtered him!
Ruud needs to find his game again and fast. This is a must win set.
Yeah, well Nole is known for great TB performances…….he’s like Roger!! When it comes to TBs Roger is KING!!! If Rudd had a better serve the score would perhaps be closer!! But yes, Rudd is playing very well he just needs to keep on keeping om! At least he is keeping things competitive. He should not adopt the attitude that it’s over……..it’s the best of 5! Had Rafa felt that way at the AO against Med…….
Yep, Roger was really the king in those 3 TBs in Wimbledon final in 2019…
Finally Novak hits a smash!!😀
By the way, where is Novak’s wrist/shoulder injury?! Has it healed?!! Sigh!!
Monalisa, how’s your smile doing right now?
#23
To me it’s pretty inexcusable that Ruud lost that set given how sub par Novak was.
Other players ie Alcaraz and even Tsitsi would have taken that set.
Add to that Med, Rune, Sinner..
Ruud doesn’t have what it takes at the highest level. That’s y he has only won 250 tournament s.
Normally I follow tenngrand for some tips. But by far the worst tips in the history on tenngrand over the last couple of days. These best bets have been disgraceful and not even close.
It’s over. Congrats to Novak fans especially Elizabeth.
Meanwhile. Please if Rafa is out can Novak play someone who has some chance of beating him. Ie not Ruud.
Gosh this is miserable stuff for Rafa fans.
Novak was hyper tense in the first set. There are other players who could have won that set and put him under pressure.
Med winning Rome was not a good thing for this tournament. Alcaraz and Djokovic should be #1 and #2 and on opposites side of the draw. That should have been the final. Alcaraz could have won today. His nerves at the beginning would have been settled by Novak,’s nerves and poor play.
23
23 > (21 + 1)
Anyway congrats Elizabeth and Big Al, and Novak fans, the guy can’t be stopped this year, Enjoy 😊
Thanks, Alison! It’s nice to see you posting here. And I hope life is good for you and your hubby. 😀 xo
Sorry, I am a bit late to respond.
I have to mention the brackets while here. Everyone in the group was off base especially picking WTA Nottingham! The draw was loaded with British players, three of whom are in the SFs! There is no WTA live available to me, but I did watch highlights of the QFs for both Nottingham and Hertoganbosch.
Nottingham SFs: Jodie Burrage vs. Alize Cornet; Heather Watson vs. Katie Boulter.
Hertoganbosch: Kudermetova vs. Hruncatova; Alexandrova vs. Sasnovich.
WTA Bosch draw was not quite the wipe-out that Nottingham was.
Alison and Margot,
I searched for Andy Murray and found him in a Challenger SF in Nottingham. What an inspiration he is! He will be ranked in the mid-thirties, maybe higher if he wins Nottingham. 👍
Look after that trophy Novak, keep it clean, Rafas coming to get it back next year 🏆💪
Congrats to Novak Djokovic 💪👍❤ and to all his fans.
What an amazing player he is definitely winning Wimbledon but not sure of the US Open I hope he wins both of them, 4 slams in a year 💯👏 that would be awesome.
He has been through a lot especially last year, he probably would have 25 slams right now.
One of the best players in tennis history.
One of? I thought the last argument/ glimmer of hope for Rafa fans was slam count now that Novak has surpassed his slam count too what’s left to discuss.
Thanks Alison/Sweetstan.
Ruud played really well and Nole really had to raise his game there.
Anyone who can reach three Slam finals must be decent opposition esp the way he destroyed Zverev.
I dont think you can talk negatively about this achievement its his third RG title on his ‘worst’ surface and 23 Slams in the era of the Big Three .
As for next year , will we see Rafa v Nole again? In the RG final? That would be interesting for the record books, their combined ages for starters…
And theres been some great discussion lately on here, about the ‘lesser’ non-Big Three players- good to see it doesnt all revolve around them .
If I remember well you (Big Al), in the conversation with other poster, after Nole won AO, predicted Nole winning FO and picked the song to be played for Nole winning FO, do you remember that and what was the song?
Oh yes.Parisienne Walkways!
Yes, that’s the one.
Also enjoyed seeing Yannick there celebrating 40th anniversary of Noah’s Arc de Triumphe!
You’re welcome Big Al, I’m a fan of Novak as well but not just him other amazing players as well.
I just love tennis ❤💯.