Djokovic’s French Open Final triumph yesterday saw him become the first man in 47 years to hold all of the major titles at the same time.
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Murray got off to the ideal start by winning the opening set, however Djokovic rubber-stamped his superiority as the world’s greatest player at the moment with some near-faultless clay-court tennis to claim the only major trophy he had never won.
“Well, I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I really think everything is achievable in life”, said the Serb.
“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.
“I’m just so overwhelmed with having this trophy next me that I’m just trying to enjoy this moment”.
The 29-year-old has won 12 major titles in his career, including six Australian Open trophies, three Wimbledon and two U.S. Open championships. 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.
Djokovic returned the favour, as he said: ‘Andy, I want to start off by saying congratulations for an incredible tournament. “Right now I’m very disappointed, but the tournament could have been quite different had I gone out in the first round”.
The British star broke back to level before reeling off the next four games for a 4-1 lead as Djokovic’s game unexpectedly unravelled.
When Murray dropped serve to love in the opening game, with Djokovic looking immediately in the groove, things looked ominous.
More mobile than the faster-serving Americans and more inclined to chance their arm at the net, the Spanish pair -who are not related – took the first set after breaking Bob’s serve in the first game.
With it comes the crowning achievement for the mighty Djokovic.
Murray has suffered defeat in his last three grand slam finals, Djokovic his conqueror on each occasion. And by claiming it, he completed his career Grand Slam and the non-calendar Grand Slam.
The last of those rare Murray victories came in May’s Italian Open final, also played on clay – a surface the Scot once mistrusted but now looks increasingly at ease on – and in the same damp conditions that dominated this year’s Roland Garros fortnight.
“I have played some of my best tennis on clay over the last few weeks and definitely last couple of years”. After that Djokovic sailed with relative ease until a late comeback attempt by Murray in the fourth set brought it to 5-4.
Facing a Paris crowd heavily favouring his opponent in a stadium dotted on all sides with Serbian flags, the Scot managed to carry that momentum into the early part of Sunday’s match – one he said after his semi-final win over Stan Wawrinka that he had “never expected to reach”.
Murray got one break back but couldn’t get a second. “I’m proud to be part of it today”.
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“The appreciation and respect I got from the crowd and that standing ovation really touched me deep inside”, he said.
