PARIS (AP) – Novak Djokovic wanted to relish the moment, rightly so.
For more than a decade, he tried to win the French Open, the lone Grand Slam title missing from his collection, coming close but never quite sealing the deal. Three losses in the final. Four more in the semifinals.
So when he’d finally succeeded in becoming the champion at Roland Garros, beating Andy Murray 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday, Djokovic was naturally focused on that particular accomplishment. In the bigger picture, though, there was so much more that was significant and historic about this victory: It made Djokovic the eighth man with a career Grand Slam – at least one trophy from each of tennis’ four most important events – and, even rarer, only the third man to win all of those major tournaments in a row, something last done almost 50 years ago.
Now there is an even greater pursuit that awaits, the ultimate achievement in his sport: a true Grand Slam, winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open in a single season.
So Djokovic was asked Sunday evening whether he ever dreamed about – or now will put his mind to – joining Don Budge (1938) and Rod Laver (1962, 1969) in going 4-for-4.