Novak Djokovic v Stefanos Tsitsipas: French Open final – live! – The Guardian

Djokovic says that it’s a privilege to be next to champs like Courier and Borg, who’ve written the history of the sport in golden letters. He then addresses Tsitsipas directly, saying he can relate to what he’s going through, and these are the kind of matches from which you learn most. He knows he’ll be back and will win many slams in the future. He then moves into French to say it’s a dream to win in Paris, the tournament gives him a lot of inspiration and it was hard to beat Stefanos then Rafa, so he thanks his team. He wants to come back and achieve more – he’s not as young as Stefanos, but he’s still got a lot to do.

Courier congratulates “Stef” and says he put in a phenomenal performance against one of the great before telling Djokovic how good he is (which is quite).

Marion Bartoli tells Tsitsipas what a boss he is, then hands him the mic and the poor boy can barely speak. He says it was a big fight out there, then a load of other noises are ruined by a poor PA. He’s in a purple bomber now – that must be his favourite colour – and he congratulates Djokovic, saying he’s inspired by him and hopes one day to match half of his achievements. He then talks about the importance of the team, thanks his, thanks the Greek fans, and says it’s a difficult journey taking a lot of work every single day and he hopes to be back next year to put on a show. You can see that he really, really wants to get out of there to cry in peace.

Djokovic raises the trophy, kisses it, and generally looks as pleased with life as you’d expect.

Ah man. Tsitsipas looks close to tears as he raises his silver salver to the crowd; they chant his name, and I want to give him a hug. Someone give him a hug. Or an elbow bump. No one does, so he stands forlorn as the trophy comes out for Djokovic.

The presentation party come out, Jim Courier – champ in 91 and 92 – leading them.

We cut to a French astronaut, who enjoyed the game now that you ask. Great stuff.

Djokovic says the atmosphere was electric, and thanks his box, coach, family and all the rest. He’s played nine hours over the last 48 hours against two brilliant players but he trusts his capabilities and knew he could do it. It’s a dream, he says, then thanks the crowd again.

Poor old Stefanos. His day will come and not long from now, but he didn’t quite have the staying power to get it done today. Djokovic didn’t actually play that well, even when coming back, which in a way makes what he did even more outrageous. His ability to find the right shots at the right times is unparalleled in the near-40 years I’ve been watching tennis and there aren’t many better at clutch in any sport.

He’s the first man to win all four majors at least twice in the open era and is, quite frankly, the most obscene freak of absolute nature we’ve ever seen! Amazing behaviour! He’s now one behind Federer and Nadal and on for a calendar year grand slam that would see him overtake them!

*Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 5-4 Tsitsipas What a rally this is, Tsitsipas chucking heat and Djokovic responding, hauling a forehand winner from the depths of his forefathers’ graves! Advantage Djokovic.

*Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 5-4 Tsitsipas Have a look! Tsitsipas mullers a backhand down the line and onto the line! Deuce.

*Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 5-4 Tsitsipas Djokovic sends down his fastest serve of the match – he is not of our species – and knocks home the volley at the net. 40-30.

*Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 5-4 Tsitsipas Djokovic sends a backhand to the diagonally opposite corner … and it’s fractionally long! 30-30

*Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 5-4 Tsitsipas Ach! Tsitsipas is well in the rally, then frames a backhand into orbit. 30-15.

*Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 5-4 Tsitsipas Djokovic, almost stood on the net, nets a simple putaway! 15-15

*Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 5-4 Tsitsipas A sapping rally ensues, Djokovic keeping it in play and awaiting the error … which soon comes on the forehand, the ball dropping wide. 15-0.

*Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 5-4 Tsitsipas Right then, here we go. Let’s go point by point…

Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 5-4 Tsitsipas* A belting return to the backhand is far too much for Tsitsipas and gives Djokovic 15-all; they quickly arrive at 30-all. So Tsitsipas unloads a brave service winner down the middle … then nets a simple putaway, though of course Djokovic made him play it with a silly get. But have a look! On deuce, Tsitsipas deposits a lush backhand onto the sideline, then Djokovic goes long and will now have to serve for it.

“Djokovic is impossible,” returns Calvin our tennis coach. “You need three sets of winners or you’re not beating him. And he’s the hardest player ever to hit winners past.”

*Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 5-3 Tsitsipas The last thing Tsitsipas needed was a fight to hold, because he’s going to need everything he’s got to break. You can see it’s not enough though, because after Djokovic hits a forehand winner, he dashes to the net and plants a volley onto the line, then makes like it’s secured the point, which it hasn’t – not because he thinks it has, but because his desire to believe it has is so strong. As such, when Djokovic gets the ball back, he’s not in position to put away, and the game quickly disappears from there.

Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 4-3 Tsitsipas* I say that, but I don’t actually think he’s tossed this – as I said earlier, you don’t turn up for your first major final, destroy Novak Djokovic in straights, then disappear on the sesh with your boys, and I don’t think Tsitsipas has the gas for a four or five-setter in this context. Djokovic hasn’t peppered him with winners, he’s just hit to within half a foot of the baseline every time he’s needed to – as we said at the outset – and let physical and mental fatigue do the rest. Anyway, we’re very quickly ay 15-40 – these are virtual championship points – and Djokovic gets him moving along the line. So Tsitsipas tries a drop, Djokovic chases it down and finds a fine riposte, they exchange at the net, and Tsitsipas knocks a winner into the space. A big serve and two colossal forehands later, it’s deuce – that’s a monumental effort – and two points later, it’s 4-3! I think it’s really important to be clear that Tsitsipas absolutely has not bottled this – people can be keen to assume it when a player loses a lead – he’s just run out of flow, form and energy.

*Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 4-2 Tsitsipas There we go, a forehand return winner gives Tsitsipas -15, but we all know what’s coming next … and there it is. It’s not an ace but it is a service winner down the T, then another beauty that’s ballooned way over the baseline. The next serve is there to be hit but Tsitsipas can’t control it, and what looked like trouble is quickly converted into an easy hold. Tsitsipas is running out of time and I’m already in bits thinking about his interview. This is going to haunt the nightmares of his grandkids.

Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 3-2 Tsitsipas* I’ll keep saying this because it’s remains the case: if Tsitsipas can keep holding serve, his genius shot-making can still save him. But at 30-0, Djokovic flips a forehand winner cross-court and his effort to get it bespeaks a man who’s nearly beaten. A drop into the net follows, then a big serve dredged from the tips of the toes and bottom of the soul, an overhead hit at Djokovic still giving him a chance … but he nets. Another big serve confirms the hold, and Tsitsipas remains a live dog.

*Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 3-1 Tsitsipas Tsitsipas said before the match that he’d leave his body on the court, and he’ll have to. Thing is, he’s missing balls he was hitting earlier on and remedying that, when you can feel your lifelong dream slipping away in your exhaustion, is hard even for me to process, never mind the bloke who needs to find the most precise tennis he’s ever played. Djokovic consolidates to love.

‘Djokovic can’t be human,” emails Gregory Phillips. “I know he has seemed fresh as a daisy after epic semi-finals in the past, but in these first two sets it looked like fatigue might be finally be something that actually affected him. But no, here he is, fifth set, just doing what he does.”

It’s astonishing isn’t it. he can play a lot better than this, but his ability to his deep, deeper than the earth’s core, when he really needs to, looks set to win him this match.

Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 2-1 Tsitsipas* A long shadow now encroaches on the court, down almost half of one side – it’s annoying to see on a screen so is presumably annoying to see when exhausted and trying to hit a tennis ball. Anyhow, at 15-all Tsitsipas hits a drop – I’m not sure many have worked for him today, but this is a goodun – except Djokovic screeches after it and though Tsitsipas reaches his riposte, he can’t force it around the net post. Still, a shadow-aided service winner makes 30-all, then another drop is too good – again, Djokovic gets there but this time he can only get the angle to flick it wide. OK, hang on folks: a poor second serve allows Djokovic to punish a forehand winner down the line and this is the match – if Tistsipas is broken he’s done for, so Djokovic tantalises him with the chance to his a backhand winner down the line and on the run … so he does! The stones to take that on! It tickled the whitewash too, but Djokovic wins the next two points for advantage! Here we go … and oh dear. Djokovic spirits a forehand deep, right by the line, and a tired, nondescript backhand from Tsitsipas floats long! He’s in all sorts now, but can take some comfort that he’s playing a bit better than before, so you never know (er, you sort of do … but maybe you don’t).

*Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 1-1 Tsitsipas At 30-0 this looks like easy hold for Djokovic, but that shouldn’t trouble Tsitsipas too much. I mean it should, but at this point he just needs to sort his own serve games out and assume his forehand will earn him a chance in a bit. And anyway, an error from Djokovic then a lob that drops long means it’s 40-30 … but Tsitsipas can’t control his return. Still, this is very tight now, and this is everything that sport is about.

Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 0-1 Tsitsipas* It’d be so great, and a fitting end to a great championships – in both competitions – if both men could find their level here. But I’m afraid to say that I fear Tsitsipas has gone, and a forehand winner from Djokovic makes 0-30. The match is here, people … and Tsitsipas finds a booming ace down the middle! “TSIT-SI-PAS! TSIT-SI-PAS!” bellow the crowd, and yer man absolutely lamps consecutive forehands down the line for 30-all. But arghhh, ich, and eesh – an absentminded backhand hands Djokovic break point – but wow, ping and zip – a serve out wide then a wrongfooting forehand into the same corner make deuce! This is boiling and broiling now, but Tsitsipas can’t convert his first game point; no matter. He hammers a forehand that earns him another go and he already looks better than before – a clever second serve down the middle, Djokovic spoons his return, and this is intense. I’ve no clue how these lads do it, no clue whatsoever; I can hardly type, never mind run, hit and think.

I’ve not a clue what Tsitsipas has left. If it’s not more than we’ve seen in the last set, he’s done for, but if he can focus on serving well he’s got a chance. Thing is, Djokovic is on a roll and isn’t simply feeding the forehand anymore.

Djokovic (6)6-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 Tsitsipas* Djokovic is right on the baseline now, and looks very strong. He makes 15-0 with a venomous backhand, then a service winner takes him two points away. Next, a backhand goes long, but an ace raises two set points … the first disappearing when a forehand is also long … but a backhand winner follows, and we’ve got ourselves a decider!