Sports

Novak Djokovic Takes His 23rd Grand Slam Title Winning French Open

Published

11 months ago

2023-06-12

Novak Djokovic Takes His 23rd Grand Slam Title Winning French Open

For years, Tennis star Novak Djokovic made it obvious that being an all-time grand-slam winner was his ambition. His major goal was to win the biggest trophies on the largest platforms in his sport, and today he stands alone — ahead of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and every guy who has ever swung a racket.

If Djokovic could maintain this record for this long, he could easily wait the half-hour or so it took to straighten out his swings in the French Open final. So, after a hesitant start in the dense, humid air and beneath threatening charcoal clouds on Sunday, he imposed himself. Casper Ruud, the opponent at Court Philippe Chatrier, never stood a chance after that.

Novak Djokovic won his 23rd Grand Slam singles title, breaking a tie with Nadal and moving three points ahead of the retiring Federer, with a 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 victory over Ruud that was never in doubt for the majority of the 3 hours, 13 minutes.

Djokovic, 36, of Serbia, adds this championship to the French Open titles he won in 2016 and 2021, making him the only man with at least three from each major. He has ten Australian Open titles, seven Wimbledon titles, and three US Open titles.

Novak Djokovic is once again halfway to completing a calendar-year Grand Slam — winning all four majors in one season — a feat not accomplished since Rod Laver in 1969. Djokovic came near to accomplishing the record in 2021, when he won the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon and advanced to the U.S. Open title final before losing to Daniil Medvedev.

Djokovic will resume his quest at Wimbledon, which begins on the All England Club’s grass on July 3.

He has now won 11 of the previous 20 Grand Slams, a phenomenal record made even more extraordinary by the fact that he missed two majors during that time due to a lack of COVID-19 vaccination.

Novak Djokovic Kicked out of Australia

Djokovic was deported from Australia before the Australian Open in January 2021, and he was barred from flying to the United States before last year’s U.S. Open due to a rule that has since been repealed.

Getting to 23 not only sets a new record for men, but also ties Djokovic with Serena Williams, who retired last year, for the most in the Open era, which began in 1968. Margaret Court earned several of her 24 Slam trophies during her amateur career.

Djokovic is the oldest singles champion at Roland Garros, which is regarded the most gruelling of the majors due to the lengthy, grinding points necessitated by the red clay, which is slower than grass or hard courts underfoot elsewhere.

Nadal won his 22nd major in Paris a year ago, two days after turning 36. He had arthroscopic surgery on June 2 after being sidelined by a hip issue since January.

Top Spot in the ATP Rankings

As if that weren’t enough, Djokovic’s victory on Sunday means he will reclaim the top spot in the ATP rankings on Monday, replacing Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic has already spent more weeks at the top than any other player — man or woman — since computerised tennis rankings were introduced a half-century ago.

Djokovic knocked off Alcaraz in the semifinals on Thursday, wearing him down over two thrilling sets until the 20-year-old Spaniard’s body cramped up severely. Alcaraz kept playing, but the final two sets of the four-set match told the story: 6-1, 6-1.

Ruud, a 24-year-old Norwegian, reached his third Slam final in the last five competitions, although he is currently 0-3. He was defeated by Nadal at the French Open a year ago, then by Alcaraz in the US Open last September.

Djokovic, in his 34th major final, got off to a rough start, possibly due to a sense of what was at risk.

Ruud was greeted with a standing ovation and courteous applause. More people stood up when Djokovic entered, followed by thundering cries of his two-syllable moniker, “No-le! “No, no, no!”

That song began again shortly before the game began — and again throughout the afternoon, sometimes to celebrate his best moments, sometimes to encourage him.

The crowd erupted when Djokovic rattled off 12 of the final 13 points, collapsing onto his back with his limbs stretched wide at the finish.

Election News

Max Verstappen Holds Off Lando Norris To Win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix And Extend F1 Lead

Published

4 hours ago

2024-05-19

Kiara Grace

AP News - VOR News Image

IMOLA, ITALY Max – Verstappen defeated McLaren’s Lando Norris to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday, extending his Formula One championship lead.

Verstappen began on pole and led Norris from the start but was pushed by the McLaren driver near the end, winning by less than a second.

“I lost grip, especially in the closing 10 to 15 laps. I slid a lot. “I saw Lando closing in,” Verstappen explained. “It’s quite difficult when the tires are no longer working, and you have to run flat out, so I couldn’t afford to make too many mistakes. Thankfully, we didn’t, and we’re overjoyed to have won here today.”

AP – VOR News Image

Max Verstappen Holds Off Lando Norris To Win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix And Extend F1 Lead

It was the defending champion’s fifth victory in seven Grand Prix races this year, following Verstappen’s defeat by Norris in Miami two weeks ago.

Norris’ Second Place Sunday demonstrated the McLaren team’s credentials as the closest contender to Verstappen and Red Bull this season. “It hurts me to say it, but one or two more laps, I think I would have had him,” stated Norris. “It would have been beautiful, but just not today.”

Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, the Italian team’s first podium finish in Imola since 2006.

Overtaking is always challenging on the narrow Imola track, and this year, asphalt run-off zones on key corners were replaced with gravel traps, discouraging risk-taking even more.

AP – VOR News Image

Max Verstappen Holds Off Lando Norris To Win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix And Extend F1 Lead

Leclerc got in on Norris midway through the race but made a mistake and ran across the grass, costing him time.

Oscar Piastri qualified second for McLaren but was relegated to fifth after a penalty for impeding Kevin Magnussen in a Haas. He got ahead of Sainz during the pit stops and finished fourth, ahead of the Spanish driver.

Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time champion, and his teammate George Russell finished sixth and seventh following a challenging weekend for Mercedes.

Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, began 11th following a mistake in qualifying and finished ninth. His major impact on the race came when he briefly held up Norris and Leclerc following their pit stops, thereby assisting Verstappen.

AP – VOR News Image

Max Verstappen Holds Off Lando Norris To Win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix And Extend F1 Lead

Yuki Tsunoda took ninth place for RB, while Lance Stroll finished tenth for Aston Martin.

Verstappen has a 48-point advantage over Leclerc, who has surged ahead of Perez to second place.

SOURCE – (AP)

Sports

Seize The Gray Win the Preakness 2024, Mystik Dan Finished Second

Published

20 hours ago

2024-05-18

Geoff Thomas

Seize The Gray has won the Preakness 2024. Favorite and Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan finished second, halting his pursuit for the first Triple Crown since Justify in 2018, NBC Sports Reports.

Seize the Grey won the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on Saturday, defeating Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and six other horses. Seize the Grey led from start to finish, with Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan in second place. Catching Freedom placed third.

D. Wayne Lukas, 88, becomes the oldest trainer in history to win a Triple Crown event. It marks his eighth Preakness victory in his career, tying Bob Baffert for second all-time. Lukas has won 15 Triple Crown races in his career.

Jaime Torres made a memorable Triple Crown debut with his triumph in Seize the Grey.

MyRacehorse owns Seize the Grey, and it sells thoroughbred “micro-shares” to the general public. There are 2,570 shareholders in Seize the Grey, representing 42 of the 50 states.

Seize the Grey is the Preakness’ 18th victory from the seventh post since 1909. No other post has resulted in more than 14 winners.

If Seize the Grey competes, his next race will be the 156th Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Preakness 2024 Full Race

Sports

Dallas Stars Eliminate Avalanche 2-1 With Double Overtime Win

Published

21 hours ago

2024-05-18

Geoff Thomas

Dallas Stars Eliminate Avalanche 2-1 With OT Win

The Avalanche’s aspirations of returning to the Stanley Cup were dashed late Friday night when they lost 2-1 in double overtime against the Dallas Stars.

Former Avalanche player Matt Duchene scored the game-winning goal, allowing the Dallas Stars to advance to the Western Conference final.

Duchene, who began his professional career in Denver, grabbed a loose puck in front of the net and blasted it over a sprawled-out Alexandar Georgiev. Duchene raced down the ice and sank to his knees in celebration.

Dallas Stars will play either Edmonton Oilers or the Vancouver Cunucks next. The Dallas Stars are making their second straight trip to the conference finals, having fallen to eventual Stanley Cup champion Vegas last season. The Stars won their sole Stanley Cup championship in 1999.

This was a series in which the road team won five of six games, with the Stars winning all three in Denver. The Avalanche were the best home team throughout the regular season, while the Stars had the best away record.

After winning the Stanley Cup two years earlier, the Avalanche finished the season 50-25-7.