Djokovic Storms Back From Two Sets Down & Rallies Past Tsitsipas To Collect His Second Coupe des Mousquetaires Trophy in Paris

 Roland Garros/French Open

Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - Roland Garros 2008: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/2548469251/in/photolist-4Tcz82-6tZnxV-87P6sX-ey7ZS4-4Th8wE-eiptGP-6uaRCZ-87vLZp-86G6Ka-ey9ecr-c7XVQu-nCzATg-eBzLQm-nCAVGe-nWRDSg-nT31do-dGmT28-nCzje4-nCzR2q-nT2Xd5-nV4Xqn-nT2ASf-eZKnLF-6urJ2w-nUM8dD-nCzJ2p-nUWDeU-caonqS-nCzGrQ-nUWRpA-nCzE6t-ewJaxS-ekA48R-nWRBFT-nULZA4-nCAKKF-nUWLLs-9T16gt-nT2zmu-nCALjX-ezweD2-9T15Lr-nULZgB-ewEXSc-nUMjfi-ewJ9fS-6qwFaz-ezzoMd-9LRAp8-ewJ9S1

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Photo courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr Page - Novak Djokovic: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/5763317762

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Novak Djokovic won his second career French Open title, in what proved to be an incredible, come from behind slugfest against rising Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece. After losing a very tight first set that went into a tiebreak, and then getting pounded in the second set, Djokovic played a nearly perfect,  error free match the rest of the way. He strung together an incredible string of sets playing at a very high level to complete the comeback and win 6-7 (8-6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Now, Djokovic has earned his second Grand Slam title of this calendar year by winning on the terre battue at Roland-Garros, hoisting the Coupe des Mousquetaires at the centre court for the second time in his career. This win completes a double career Grand Slam (winning each Grand Slam tournament at least twice each) for Djokovic, adding to the already incredible impressive list of accomplishments for him. No man has managed that feat in over half a century. 

This has been one of the most incredible tournaments in what has been an unbelievable career filled with stunning, mind-boggling achievements for Djokovic. With this win, he earns his 19th career Grand Slam title, just one shy now of the two leaders, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. But it was not just that Djokovic won, but how he did it. He won one of the most memorable and intense matches in tennis history against the King of Clay, Rafa Nadal, on centre court, and then had just enough left in the tank to pull off the victory against young Greek start Tsitsipas after dropping the first two sets.

It also means that Djokovic adds to his overall lead in the rankings. He is currently ranked number one, and with this strong showing at the French Open, Djokovic has managed to expand his lead, particularly against arguably the biggest threat to overtake him: Nadal. Yes, Nadal knows all about being the number one ranked man himself, having achieved it fairly often in his own storied career. But without the French Open championship this year, it is hard to imagine Nadal overtaking Djokovic in the standings at this point.

Still, it is too early in the year to claim that anyone has clinched the number one ranking, or anything. Djokovic has the lead, true. But there is still plenty of tennis left to be played, including two Grand Slam tournaments. Right now, however, Djokovic looks like he is playing at perhaps the most elite level that we have seen him play at, and that is saying something.

As for Tsitsipas, this was a hugely successful tournament for him, as well. He reached his first ever Grand Slam final, and very nearly won it. Indeed, for a while, it looked like he had Djokovic on the ropes. Djokovic's rally denied him that first ever Grand Slam championship, but it feels like it is just a matter of time before Tsitsipas manages to win one. En route to this first ever Grand Slam final, Tsitsipas managed to defeat the also rising young German Alexander Zverev in the semifinals, and before that, he defeated the currently world number two ranked Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinal showdown.