Novak Djokovic became the king of men’s tennis on Sunday after beating Casper Ruud in straight sets at the French Open, earning the 36-year-old his 23rd Grand Slam tournament victory, more than any other male player in history. Despite a stumbling start, Djokovic quickly found his footing and went on to defeat his Norwegian opponent 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5. Djokovic had been confident heading into the day, going so far as to have a jacket with the number “23” emblazoned on it ahead of time. He donned it after the match, and saluted another sporting legend when a reporter asked him about it. “Mamba Mentality, Kobe Bryant,” Djokovic said. “You know it’s going to happen before it actually happens.” During the trophy ceremony, he added, “I feel I have the power to create my own destiny. If you want the better future you can create it.” The win sees him overtake rival Rafael Nadal, out of this year’s French Open with an injury. Nadal took to Twitter to congratulate Djokovic, writing, “23 is a number that just a few years back was impossible to think about, and you made it!”
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