Novak Djokovic, a Serbian tennis star, has won the French Open, securing his 23rd Grand Slam title, which surpasses the record he previously shared with Rafael Nadal. Djokovic beat Casper Ruud, an up-and-coming Norwegian tennis star, in three sets in the final round of the French Open. He won 7-6, 6-3, 7-5. Nadal who missed the French Open due to a hip injury, congratulated Djokovic on surpassing their previously shared record via Twitter. Djokovic has earned $27.1 million in on- and off-court earnings from August 2021 to August 2022, according to Forbes’ calculations, making him the world’s fifth-highest paid tennis star over that period. Djokovic has not made Forbes’ list of the top 50 highest-paid athletes since 2021 when he ranked 46th with $34.5 million in earnings.
Djokovic has fought alongside Federer and Nadal for years, at one point tying the other two players in Grand Slam titles. However, Djokovic missed several competitions after announcing earlier in the pandemic he was not vaccinated against the coronavirus. Last year, he was deported from Australia ahead of the Australian Open due to the country’s strict vaccine requirements for foreign travelers, and he skipped the U.S. Open due to the United States’ vaccine rules. He urged tournaments to change their requirements but also said in an interview with the BBC that he was willing to pay the price of foregoing potential future tournament wins.
In conclusion, Djokovic's win at the French Open has positioned him as the male player with the most Grand Slam titles. Despite his success on the court, his vaccination status has caused controversy and led to his missing several high-profile tournaments.