The world number one recovered from a nervous start to impose his pace on Court Philippe Chatrier and clinch his 12th grand slam crown after three previous failures in a Roland Garros final. Even without the benefit of time, the Serb’s capturing of all four Grand Slams of the past year ranks as one of the great sporting achievements of our time. Djokovic, 29, beat British player Andy Murray, who is also 29, in four sets in the final, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
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By the end, frustrated Murray looked out of energy and ideas against his nemesis who has now beaten him in five Grand Slams finals.
The Serbian, who now has 12 slam titles, said: “You train as a professional athlete to always be in the moment and focus on the next point and not care too much about what’s in the past or what is coming up because you can’t influence that”.
Until now. “Winning it, you know, I felt it”, Djokovic said.
It marked Djokovic’s first Roland Garros title as he completed the career grand slam.
The Paris crowd, aware of just how desperate Djokovic was to lift their trophy, gave him a prolonged ovation.
The world number one recalled going through a range emotions en route to rounding off his come-from-behind four-set triumph over Andy Murray and was particularly complimentary of the crowd for their support after his loss to Stan Wawrinka past year. The win also means Djokovic completed the Career Slam by winning all four majors at least once.
But the Briton, who was playing his 10th final at a major, hit the ball early to set up three break points in the following game, converting the third with a fine lob. “What he’s achieved the last 12 months is phenomenal”.
In the almost half-century since Laver’s second Slam, no man even came close to repeating the feat. He seemed to lose concentration for a second and hashed his first serve for the title, but recomposed himself and ended victorious after a good three hour stint on the court.
Even Federer has managed only one French Open title. He needs to win this year’s Wimbledon and U.S. Open to achieve tennis’ most impressive feat.
Becoming the first British man to reach a singles final at Roland Garros since Bunny Austin in 1937 was something Murray never imagined he would be capable of until he found his clay-court form a year ago. After the triumph, the World No.1 opened up about his next targets and put the calendar grand slam as an “achievable” target. I’m very proud and very thrilled. Somewhat understandably, he finally had a hiccup right at the finish line-failing to serve out the match at 5-2.
28 – Consecutive Grand Slam match wins for Novak Djokovic, a new Open Era Record. “I never experienced this kind of moment before, of holding the Roland Garros trophy”.
Murray’s more immediate thought now is of revenge and after getting closer to Djokovic on recent tussles on clay, he hopes to capitalise should the pair meet on grass next month in the Wimbledon final.
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Had Murray taken a break point in the opening game of the second, things might have been different, but he missed it and from there things quickly unravelled.
