Novak Djokovic Goes for Record 23rd Grand Slam Title Against Casper Ruud in Paris Final

Novak Djokovic Aims to Make History at French Open

The tennis world will be holding its breath this Sunday (3:00 p.m., DMAX and Eurosport) as the legendary Novak Djokovic attempts to shatter the men’s record for Grand Slam titles, currently shared by him and Rafa Nadal at 22. The Serbian will be up against Norwegian Casper Ruud, a finalist at last year’s Roland Garros and number 4 in the world rankings, who trained at Nadal’s academy in Manacor.

The Second Chance

This is Djokovic’s second chance to take the lead over Nadal in Grand Slam victories, the first being during the US Open 2021, where he lost to Daniil Medvedev in the final. However, in 2022, Nadal had the upper hand, winning at Australia and Roland Garros while Djokovic won at Wimbledon and the oceanic major. If he succeeds this time, he will catch up to Serena Williams’ 23 overall mark, just one short of Margaret Court’s 24. Additionally, Djokovic may claim the number one ranking from Carlos Alcaraz, whom he defeated in the semifinals.

Making Tennis History

Djokovic’s win would make him the first man to win every Grand Slam title at least three times, joining Court, Steffi Graf, and Serena Williams. At 36 years and 20 days, he would also become the oldest champion at the French Open, surpassing Nadal’s age last year when he won at 36 and 2. Djokovic already holds the record for the most majors finals played, tied with Chris Evert at 34.

The Drive to Win

“The Grand Slams are what drives me the most,” Djokovic says. “As for the records that are at stake, it’s great, but I need to win to be on the list.” His opponent, Ruud, may pose a serious threat, with his excellent consistency on clay. He has won nine titles and reached 12 finals on the surface, with an impressive 87-12 win-loss record since 2020. Ruud, meanwhile, is playing his third Slam final and hoping to debut his major title.

Regardless of the outcome, this Sunday’s game is sure to be an unforgettable event in tennis history.