It took Djokovic 12 tries to win the French Open, a particularly elusive goal – even for the world’s best – because of 9-time champion Rafa Nadal’s extraordinary Roland Garros dominance.
Advertisement
Now there is an even greater pursuit that awaits, the ultimate achievement in his sport: a true Grand Slam, winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open in a single season.
The Serb’s next aim is to win Wimbledon and the US Open to become only the third man to claim all four majors in the same year, which has not been achieved since Laver pulled off the feat in 1969.
Djokovic is only the third man after Don Budge and Rod Laver to hold the four majors at the same time, and the eighth man to triumph at Wimbledon and the French, US and Australian Opens.
“I needed a little bit of time to really find the right rhythm and start to play the way I intended, which happened in the beginning of the second and practically till 5-2 in the fourth set”. There is a secret behind that: ‘ Growing up in Serbia we played a lot of mini tennis, a lot of different games in the service box, and I think that helps.
He had his army of hollering fans on tenterhooks again when he was broken by Murray the first time he went to serve for the title at 5-2 in the fourth set. Djokovic is already one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, and he is bang in the middle of his prime, with no rivals and the wherewithal to complete one of the most hard feats in tennis easily. “I’m just so overwhelmed with having this trophy next to me that I’m just trying to enjoy this moment”, he added.
Djokovic continued to control the match, wearing Murray down by chasing him all over the court with perfectly timed shots.
Novak Djokovic was able to bounce back in the second set, going off to an early 3-0 lead. “This is something so rare in tennis, it’s not happened in an extremely long time and it is going to take a long time for it to happen again”.
Murray was a set from defeat against veteran Radek Stepanek and French underdog Mathias Bourgue in his opening two rounds, before righting the ship and eventually taking out defending champion Stan Wawrinka for his first Roland Garros final berth.
” What he has achieved the last 12 months is phenomenal”, Andy Murray said.
Murray, who has been defeated by Djokovic in five major finals, was appreciative of the 29-year old Serb. It was their first Grand Slam title, while the Bryans were denied a record 17th crown.
At that stage, things looked good but Djokovic is never more risky than when behind and having felt wronged, he bounced back immediately, after saving a break point in the first game of the second set.
Before a ball was hit, spectators stood to applaud Muhammad Ali after an image of the boxing legend, who died on Friday, appeared on the giant video screen high up on the Philippe Chatrier court. Djokovic was off – “Nerves kicked in”, he acknowledged afterward – and his forehand offered up seven unforced errors before Murray made one. I felt the tension and excitement, all the emotions.
Advertisement
“Later on I realised that in life everything happens for a reason”.
