Novak Djokovic stands alone at the pinnacle of the men's tennis with a tremendous 23rd Grand Slam as the oldest Roland Garros men's champion. All tournament long, Djokovic has defied his age and handled the occasion, masterfully risen to extreme heights when the pressure demanded it.
Fourth-seeded Casper Ruud who collapsed against Nadal last season, had a confidence and presence about him, forcing Djokovic out of his hitting zone with a heavy topspin forehand. And the Norwegian began brilliantly. Terrific against a visibly flustered Serb in the first set, and to get Novak Djokovic uncomfortable is an achievement in itself. But no other athlete can raise the tempo like Djokovic can, played the best game of the match and grabbed a firm hold over the final. 55 tie-break points at this tournament. 42 points won. No unforced errors. Ruud was playing out of his skin and losing the first set seemed pivotal.
From then on Djokovic looked impregnable, a force of nature and as dominant as we're used to seeing him. Philippe Chatrier was home. Perhaps even more impressive than an exhibition of skill and experience in the final was the performance against wonderkid and world number one, Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinal. Djokovic's run to the championship was by challenging, with Karen Khachanov and Alexander Davidovich Fokina providing challenges encounters. Yet arguably the greatest player of all time prospered each time. A triple champion at every grand slam tournament, his legacy seems unsurmountable.
On the opposite side, Casper Ruud's tournament has been fantastic, getting past Alexander Zverev and Holger Rune, two young, powerful opponents with tremendous ability. A third final in the last five majors is hugely impressive, and reveals his immense talent, but the Norwegian seems so close to being elite. The first set was exemplary and showed signs of a extremely promising and well-rounded player.
Carlos Alcaraz is no longer a promising talent, but rather one of the most breathtaking players on court. Bowing out to "cramp" is disappointing, but the Spaniard is maybe the greatest talent and undoubtedly the next superstar in tennis. A three-set win over Stefanos Tsitsipas is remarkable, while the rest of the tournament has been faultless, Lorenzo Musetti and Denis Shapovalov easily dispatched. Tsitsipas looked in excellent touch, but a much-awaited clash with Alcaraz was a rather one-sided affair.
Alongside Alcaraz, a new talented generation has emerged, with Yannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and Holger Rune all portraying immense qualities. Zverev returned from a terrible ankle injury with well-deserved victories over Frances Tiafoe and Grigor Dimitrov that saw glimpses of the German's abilities. Holger Rune was toppled over by fellow Scandinavian Ruud, while Andrey Rublev was knocked out by Lorenzo Sonego.
A new wave of South Americans, with Francisco Cerundolo, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Juan Pablo Varillas, Nicolas Jarry, Genaro Alberto Olivieri and Thiago Seyboth Wild all reaching the third round are ripe with promise. Yannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev were amongst the favourites in Paris, yet Medvedev especially crashed out in Round One in shocking fashion.
The new wave of superstars is yet to dominate and the veteran Serb is unsurmountable for now.
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