After the French Open, no player can say they've won more Grand Slam titles than Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic won his third title at Roland Garros as well as his record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam event following a straight-forward three-set win over Casper Ruud in the final on Sunday.
It moved him above Rafael Nadal (22) and saw him become the leader in Grand Slam titles for the first time in his career.
Given his many other accomplishments, he already had a case for being the tennis GOAT, but for many, it's even more solidified with this achievement.
Reflecting on the feat and finally surpassing both his major rivals in Nadal and Roger Federer, Djokovic spoke of how long it took him to reach this point.
“I always compared myself to Federer and Nadal because those were the two greatest rivals I had in my career,” Djokovic said in his post-match press conference (via Jose Morgado). “They defined me as a player.
“I spent countless hours of thinking how to win against Federer and Nadal. Those two guys were occupying my mind in the last 20 years quite a lot… It's amazing to know that I'm ahead of both of them in Grand Slams. But everyone writes their own history.”
It's fair to say those hours paid off as in addition to having more Grand Slam titles than the pair, Novak Djokovic also has a superior head-to-head record over them too.
And while Nadal could always come back and improve that record as well as win more Grand Slam titles, it appears highly unlikely given his recent injury problems along with the fact that the 2024 season is probably his last.
Djokovic could also increase his Grand Slam tally and if he continues to do so, it might be a record that stands the test of time.
Follow Us
Subscribe