Djokovic upheld his formidable track record in tie-breaks to clinch the first set of the final.
The Serbian had triumphed in all five tie-breaks he had played in Paris this year, displaying flawless precision, and the same dominance was evident as he secured a 7-1 victory after a grueling 81 minutes, celebrating with a clenched fist.
Djokovic encountered a slow start, allowing Ruud to establish a 3-0 lead, but the 22-time grand slam champion fought back valiantly, leveling the score at 4-4. Ruud managed to reach 0-30 on Djokovic’s serve at 5-4, courtesy of an impressive tweener lob, but he failed to capitalize on a set point opportunity, extinguishing his chances.
This setback dealt a crushing blow to Ruud, compounded by his loss of serve in the second game of the second set. Djokovic, now back in his comfort zone, smoothly advanced towards etching his name in the annals of history.
Ruud demonstrated resilience by saving two set points at 2-5, yet Djokovic’s imperious serving prevailed. The Norwegian, who failed to win a single game against Nadal in last year’s third set, was resolute in ensuring history did not repeat itself.
Although Ruud found a better rhythm in his serve and applied pressure on Djokovic, he was left rueing his luck when his opponent benefited from a fortuitous netcord at 0-30 and 3-4, resulting in a final opportunity for the French crowd to voice their displeasure.
The question loomed as to when Djokovic would make his move, and it arrived at 5-5, with a sequence of extraordinary groundstrokes securing the crucial break and, moments later, a historic 7-6 (1) 6-3 7-5 triumph.
This victory propels Djokovic to reclaim the world number one ranking, displacing Carlos Alcaraz after defeating the Spaniard in the semi-finals.
