French Open 2023 Final, Novak Djokovic vs Casper Ruud Highlights: Novak Djokovic beats Casper Ruud to win record 23rd Grand Slam title

Novak Djokovic, who won a record-equalling 23rd Grand Slam title on Sunday, is driven on through controversy by his determination to be the greatest ever. The Serb's victory over Casper Ruud in the French Open final took him past great rival Rafael Nadal at the top of the list of all-time men's major champions. For 36-year-old Djokovic, it matters to be the best, and he has a strong sense of his historical place in tennis.

Novak Djokovic beat Norway's Casper Ruud 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 7-5 to win the French Open for a third time on Sunday and clinch a record 23rd men's Grand Slam title. The 36-year-old Djokovic becomes the tournament's oldest winner after breaking the 22-Slam mark he shared with Rafael Nadal and is the only man to win all four majors on at least three occasions. The Serb moves to within one of Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 Grand Slams after tying Serena Williams for the second most in history. Djokovic will return to world number one for a record-extending 388th week Monday after condemning last year's runner-up Ruud to his third Grand Slam final defeat in the past five majors.

An unforced error from Casper Ruud, and Novak Djokovic won the French Open for the third time in his glittering career. With 23rd Grand Slam title, he surpassed Rafael Nadal to become the man with the most major titles in history.

Wow! Djokovic produced a stunning game of tennis to break the service game of Ruud for the first time in the third set. Two cracking forehand winners gave Djokovic a 40-0 advantage, before the two-time champion hit a backhand winner to take the lead in the third set.

Two aces and a forehand cross court winner. Djokovic, who was serving to remain in the set, wrapped up the game in double quick time. It's 5-5 in the third set.

Djokovic hit the final ball wide as Ruud held his serves to lead 5-4 in the crucial third set. Another four-plus minute game, which started with Djokovic winning the first point with a winner. An unforced error and a winner from Ruud gave the server advantage in the game and he did not let it past.

An unforced error gave Ruud an early 30-0 lead on Djokovic's serve. But Djokovic clawed back with a winner and an ace to level it 30-30. Serving on 40-30, Djokovic got a time warning before he levelled the third game 4-4 by holding the service game.

Casper Ruud started with a winner and an ace to take a 30-0 lead. Djokovic came up with two winners of his own to make it 30-40, before Ruud hit another winner to wrap up the game. Both are holding service games so far in the third set.

Novak Djokovic hit an ace to race to 30-0, before an unforced error gave away a point. But Ruud made a mistake to make it 40-15 in Djokovic's favour, before the latter wrapped up the game with an overhead winner at the nets.

Ruus came up with an ace to wrap up the game. He raced to 40-15 in no time, before Djokovic took the game to deuce with a winner. Ruud produced a winner and an ace to maintain the slender lead in the crucial third game.

Wow. What a dominant game from Djokovic. He came up with four straight forehand winners to wrap up the game in no time.

Casper Ruud started with two back-to-back winners to race to 30-0, before Djokovic won three straight points with the help of two winners of his own. Djokovic was on a breakpoint, but two errors let Ruud come back in the game and held his service game.

A quick service game from Djokovic, winning in on nil. He looked quite comfortable at the moment. Ruud has to produce something extraordinary to topple Djokovic today.

Casper Ruud started the do-or-die third set with a good service game. Djokovic came up with a winner to take a 30-15 lead, which Ruud negated by an ace. After that Ruud wrapped up the game on 30.

Two big winners and Djokovic wrapped up the second set 6-3 in 44 minutes, winning the ninth game on nil. Djokovic is now just a set away from creating history at Roland Garros. Casper Ruud looked down and out after the first set tie-breaker loss.

Good tight game from Casper Ruud. He was down by two breakpoints at 15-40, but held his nerves to hold his service game and remained alive in the set. Back-to-back winners gave him the game point and he made no mistake to make it 3-5 in the set.

Casper Ruud came up with two net points - one a volley winner and the other an overhead shot forcing an error from Djokovic, to take a 30-15 lead. But three back-to-back unforced errors allowed Djokovic to hold his serves and extend the lead to 5-2 in the second set.

Good service game from Casper Ruud. Won it on 15 with Djokovic hitting the final ball long from the forehand crosscourt attempt.

Ace coming regularly from Djokovic's racquet now - three in last two games. With an ace and a winner, he raced to 40-15 in no time but a double fault delayed the win. It was a temporary halt as he took a 4-1 lead in the second set.

Casper Ruud opened his account in the second game. A good service game from him, winning it on 15.

Djokovic is in the mood now, raced to 40-0 with two aces. Ruud won a point from an unforced error from Djokovic, but another winner followed soon. Djokovic extends his lead in the second game to 3-0.

What a game. Djokovic now makes Ruud run for each point hard. Two winners gave Djokovic two break points at 40-15 in the game, before Ruud clawed back to take it to deuce. Djokovic produced another winner to earn another breakpoint and this time convert it to lead the second 2-0 early in the proceedings.

A quick good service game from Djokovic to start the second set with a win. He wrapped up the game with an ace, winning it on nil.

Excellent tie-breaker from Novak Djokovic, winning it 7-1 in no time against Casper Ruud. From 1-4 down, Djokovic upped the ante and won three straight games to level it 4-4. Even then, he was playing a catch-up game against Ruud in the first set, before the tie-breaker. A tight 1 hour and 24 minutes long first set in the French Open final today.

Djokovic started the tie-breaker with two stunning winners to lead 2-0.

Djokovic held his service game to take the set to a tie-breaker. Ruud came up with the first backhand winner of the game to level it 15-15, before Djokovic produced an ace and two back-to-back winners to wrap up the game.

Djokovic got a point off an unforced error in the beginning of the game. But Ruud came back strongly to wrap up the game on 15, producing two winners including a backhand volley at the nets.

Exciting game again. Ruud won a long rally to take a 30-0 lead in the game, but Djokovic won the next four points to level the set 5-5. The first set is already over an hour now.

Another tight game. A couple of errors gave two early points to Djokovic. Djokovic then made an error of his own and Ruud came up with an ace to level it 30-30. Another error gave Djokovic a breakpoint at 40-30, but Ruud held his nerves to win the game and lead the set 5-4.

What a game. Ruud produced a stunning backhand drop shot to earn a breakpoint at 40-30. But Djokovic came up with a good overhead shot and followed by volley winner to take the game to deuce. Djokovic then wrapped up the game with a forehand winner to level the set 4-4.

A long, tiring rally ended in Ruud hitting the nets as Djokovic broke back in the set. Djokovic converted the first break point he got in the contest to reduce the lead to 3-4. The final rally for the game showed the sort of contest happening at the moment in Paris.

Good service game from Djokovic. He raced to 40-0 in no time before an unforced error gave away a point to Ruud. Djokovic finished it off with a good serve. He still trails Ruud in the first set.

Another good service game from Casper Ruud. He did not allow Djokovic any room to make a move in it. Ruud gave away just one point in it to extend his lead in the first set to 4-1. Unforced errors leaking freely from Djokovic at the moment.

Novak Djokovic opened his account in the final with a good service game. He won it on nil and in quick time, taking less than two minutes.

Another long six-minute game. Ruud held his serves to extend his lead to 3-0. Ruud produced the first double fault of the game in it but managed to hold the serve in the end. Good start for the 4th seed against one of the tennis great today.