PARIS — Novak Djokovic is only one win away from his males’s-record twenty third Grand Slam singles championship.
He will face Casper Ruud within the French Open ultimate on Sunday.
It is the No. 3-seeded Djokovic’s thirty fourth main title match and No. 4 Ruud’s third.
The begin of the match was delayed by a few half-hour as a result of the ladies’s doubles ultimate that preceded it within the event’s major stadium lasted greater than two hours.
By profitable Sunday, Djokovic would break a tie with Rafael Nadal, who has 22 Slam trophies – together with 14 at Roland Garros – however has been sidelined since January with a hip harm and had surgical procedure throughout this French Open.
“I put myself, again, in a position to fight for another Grand Slam trophy. I’ve been very fortunate that most of the matches in tournaments I’ve played in the last few years, there is history on the line,” Djokovic stated after eliminating No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz within the semifinals. “I like the feeling. It’s a privilege.”
The solely two individuals in tennis historical past with 23 majors or extra are Serena Williams, who retired after final season with 23, all in the course of the Open period, and Margaret Court, who received 24, some in the course of the newbie period.
Djokovic’s first Grand Slam title got here in 2008 on the Australian Open, which he has received 10 instances. He’s collected seven at Wimbledon, three on the U.S. Open and two on the French Open – in 2016 and 2021.
A victory over Ruud would additionally make Djokovic, a 36-year-old from Serbia, the primary man to assert not less than three championships at every main occasion.
Ruud is a 24-year-old from Norway who’s bidding for his first Slam title. Last season, he was the runner-up to Nadal on the French Open and to Alcaraz on the U.S. Open.
Djokovic has received all 4 earlier matchups in opposition to Ruud, taking all eight units they’ve performed in opposition to one another.
“I’m going to have to try to come up with a better game plan,” Ruud stated, “and just know I’m going to have to play my best game – my ‘A’ game, my best level that I’ve ever played – if I want to have a chance against him.”
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