At the 2006 edition of the French Open, Novak Djokovic took one of the first great steps of his young career by reaching his first grand slam quarter final at 19. He had already beaten three seeded players, including the explosive world No 9, Fernando González, but greatness awaited. Djokovic stepped on Court Philippe Chatrier for his first quarter-final against Rafael Nadal, the 20-year-old defending champion.
It was not quite the longest encounter of what would go on to be a 59-match rivalry. Two sets in, Djokovic retired while trailing 6-4, 6-4 with a lower back injury. Afterwards, he said he had learnt from the match that Nadal was hardly unbeatable on clay and if his back had allowed him to serve properly, he would have had his chances.
“I think I was in control because I think everything was depending on me,” Djokovic said afterwards. “How I was playing, result was like that. Even with a sore back, I think I played equal match with him.”
Those comments led to widespread mockery and criticism and they helped frame the early narratives around Djokovic as he struggled with his body and retired in numerous high-profile matches.
Now, 17 years on, Djokovic has edged past Nadal in the all-time standings by achieving his record 23rd grand slam title at the same tournament and on the same court. In hindsight, his comments are testament to the unflinching self belief that has driven the 36-year-old all the way to his goal, even when few believed.
Djokovic’s physical frailty, which would hamper him for years, now contrasts dramatically with the unprecedented robustness it has taken to win a record 11 grand slam tournaments and counting in his 30s while still appearing far from finished.
The gap between Nadal and Djokovic had initially only increased. By 2011, three turbulent years after the Serb had won his first grand slam title and remained in pursuit of a second, Nadal’s grand slam title count was nine while Roger Federer had swept up 16. He has spent his entire career chasing them down.
“Those two guys were occupying my mind for the last 15 years quite a lot. In a professional sense,” said Djokovic, smiling, on Sunday. “So it’s amazing to know that I’m one ahead of both of them in grand slams.”
As he discussed the feeling of finally crossing 23 grand slam titles during his lengthy post-match press conference on Sunday following his final win over Casper Ruud, Djokovic touched on his future unprompted, asserting that he has no plans to stop anytime soon: “If I’m winning slams, why even think about ending the career that already has been going on for 20 years?” he said.
The next achievement for Djokovic is clear – another chase for the grand slam continues. This is the third time in Djokovic’s career that he has started a season by winning the Australian and French Open, placing him halfway to winning the grand slam in a calendar year. The last attempt, which also saw him try to win the Olympics, ended with Djokovic completely running out of mental steam at the very last hurdle and he was defeated in straight sets by an excellent Daniil Medvedev in the final of the 2021 US Open.
As he pushes for the ultimate achievement in tennis, it is unclear who could consistently stop him. Clay is actually one of the tougher and most competitive surfaces, where many of the players on tour learn their trade. On grass, however, there aren’t many elite rivals who have demonstrated their level on the surface. The younger generations have simply not taken to the surface like previous eras, and many are still just learning how to effectively move and adjust their games to the surface. With the United States lifting their ban on Covid-unvaccinated visitors, Djokovic will be able to return to the US Open on his favourite surface.
This is also undeniably a less competitive period on the ATP. The readiness of Carlos Alcaraz, the one player who seemed to be prepared to compete at Djokovic’s level, was evidently overestimated. He was unable to last for more than two sets before suffering from cramps during their semi-final match in Paris due to his tension and nerves. Medvedev, the other clear obstacle, remains a genuine rival but only on hard courts.
Since he broke the record for weeks at No 1, Djokovic has cited the grand slam tournaments as his primary motivation. This clay season seemed like the first time those intentions were truly realised. After his dire struggles beforehand, the intensity and motivation he competed with in Paris marked a stark contrast. The world No 1 will look to carry himself in a similar way as he chases down the two grand slam tournaments remaining this year.
“I said in Monte Carlo, I don’t count these tournaments: Monte Carlo, Rome, anything,” his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, said. “[The] only tournament that counts is this one.”