He eventually overcame his slow start and gradually went on to win the sets; 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
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With two more victories, at Wimbledon in July and the U.S. Open in September, he’ll be the first men’s player, since Laver almost a half-century ago, to sweep all four majors in the same calendar year.
After finally winning the French Open following three previous final defeats, the 29-year-old admitted it was one of biggest moments of his career.
“It’s a special moment”, Djokovic said in his on-court interview.
Four break points came for Murray with Djokovic leading 4-1, but each one evaded the first-time finalist at Roland Garros and the set looked to be over as a contest.
Djokovic fell to the floor after winning the final point, embracing Murray before drawing a heart shape with his racquet on the court and lying spread-eagled in the red clay.
Defiance was shown by the Brit in his final service game of the third set, but his opponent breezed through the final game of the set to take it 6-2 and move within just one set of becoming French Open champion for the first time in his illustrious career.
Sunday’s win gave Djokovic his 12th Grand Slam title, tied for fourth on the all-time list. Me personally being on the opposite side, it sucks to lose the match.
“But I am proud to have been part of today, so congratulations Novak, well done”.
It was the British World No.2 who made the stronger start as he won four of the first five games after dropping serve in the opening game. Murray, who opened the tournament with two grueling five-set matches, looked like he began to wear down mentally. (Federer now has 17 Slam victories).
He said: “At points I did well. Right now I’m very disappointed, but the tournament could have been quite different had I gone out in the first round”.
More drama followed when he served for the set at 5-3. Djokovic on his quest for the Calendar Grand Slam.
“The most important thing for me is it’s something I’ve never felt before”.
“I have played some of my best tennis on clay, for sure, over the last few weeks and definitely the last couple of years”. Murray pulled a break back but Djokovic shook off late jitters to win the title on his third match point when the Scot netted a backhand at the end of a nail-biting rally.
“In the last point I don’t even remember what happened”.
Djokovic, who has now won 13 of the duo’s past 15 meetings, continued to press and refused to relinquish any command on proceedings, while any fleeting Murray resistance withered.
“If people recognize where Roger Federer is in the pantheon of tennis players and what he’s achieved, you can say to them, ‘This is something Roger hasn’t been able to do.’ I think that’s a statement”, Jim Courier, a former world No. 1, told USA TODAY Sports. “It’s going to take a long time for it to happen again”. Yes, by the time Federer was Djokovic’s age, he had won 16 Slams to Djokovic’s 12.
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The pattern was now set, Djokovic, as relentless as ever, broke yet again in the first game of the fourth set.
