Roland-Garros: Djokovic overthrows Tsitsipas and conquers a 19th Grand Slam
Serbian Novak Djokovic savoring his victory in the final of the Roland-Garros tournament against Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, June 13, 2021. © Pierre René-Worms / RFI
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
5 mins
At the end of a four-hour long fight, Novak Djokovic overwhelmed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of the Roland-Garros tournament on Sunday, June 13.
The world number one won in five sets (6-7 [6], 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4).
The Serbian triumphs for the second time in Paris and lifts his 19th Grand Slam, one unit off the record of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
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The new generation will still wait.
Rafael Nadal, the emperor of clay, laid down his arms in the semi-finals, leaving the young wolves Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev the hope of reigning in turn in Paris.
But the executioner of the Spaniard, Novak Djokovic, of course did not intend to leave the field open to the Greek, winner of the other half against Zverev.
For his first Grand Slam final, Stefanos Tsitsipas managed for a time to disrupt the Djokovic machine.
The Serbian wavered, a lot even, Sunday on the court Philippe-Chatrier.
However, on arrival, it was he who lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires for the second time in his life.
Tsitsipas in a state of grace during the first two rounds
After the five-set battle fought by Stefanos Tsitsipas against Alexander Zverev, then the clash of the titans won by Novak Djokovic against Rafael Nadal, this final was promising.
It was the clash between the world number one, Djokovic, 34, and the number one in the Race (ranking for the current season), Tsitsipas, 22 years old.
The duel between a tennis monument and one of the best talents within the new generation.
The Greek and the Serbian did not betray these expectations.
The first round looked like an intense and merciless showdown between the two men.
The "Djoker" broke and served to win the set, but his opponent immediately caught up with him and pushed him to the tie-break, during which he was the most solid.
Perhaps blunted by his fight against Nadal, Djokovic then lost his footing against a Tsitsipas in a state of grace.
The world number five, carried by an audience won over to his cause, pocketed the second set easily, leaving the scenario of a one-sided game ending.
Only here it is: there is perhaps no more formidable than a Djokovic with his back to the wall.
Djokovic returns from hell
Tsitsipas already knew how dangerous the Serbian is. In their past confrontations, Djokovic led 5-2 before Sunday. And he had never lost to the Greek on clay. After a passage in the locker room, "Nole" found his game and set the record straight. Slowly but surely, the third set tipped in his favor. In the hard, Stefanos Tsitsipas let go in the fourth set, leaving Novak Djokovic, again almost unplayable, to come back to two sets everywhere.
For the first time since 2004 and the Gaston Gaudio-Guillermo Coria match, the Roland-Garros final was played in five sets.
With his resurrection, the world number one kept the pressure on Stefanos Tsitsipas to break him quickly.
The Athenian fought more, but it was no longer possible for him to hold back his elder, master of the trajectories, sure of himself and launched towards victory.
The first match point was saved with panache.
Not the second.
History is still being written with the ancients
It's a big day for Novak Djokovic.
The Serbian had never reversed a Grand Slam final after giving up the first two sets.
The world number one now has twice titles in Paris: he is the third player in history (after Roy Emerson and Rod Laver), and the only one in the Open era, to have won at least all the Grand Slam tournaments. twice.
With 19 wins in the Majors (9 at the Australian Open, 5 at Wimbledon, 3 at the US Open and 2 at Roland Garros), Novak Djokovic is only one length behind the record of 20 successes. , co-owned by the two other tennis ogres, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
The new generation has an undeniable talent and a certain appetite, but the old guys still rule.
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