04:09 PM
Ruud 6-7 (1-7), 2-4 Djokovic* (* denotes next server)
Ruud, serving better now, is 40-15 and playing some good stuff. He’s held this service game with a comfort we haven’t seen for a while. But he remains a break down and a set down.
04:02 PM
Ruud* 6-7 (1-7), 1-4 Djokovic (* denotes next server)
The energy has gone out of the match a little. Not that the tennis isn’t of a superb quality – it is. But there is an alarming sense of inevitability about the Djokovic performance now. Serves his 7th ace. Sixth down the middle? I think?
It’s 30-15. Ruud needs to find some sort of foothold.
04:01 PM
Ruud 6-7 (1-7), 1-3 Djokovic* (* denotes next server)
Ruud gets on the board.
03:56 PM
Ruud* 6-7 (1-7), 0-3 Djokovic (* denotes next server)
ND consolidates his grip on this match with a service hold.
03:48 PM
Ruud 6-7 (1-7), 0-2 Djokovic* (* denotes next server)
Ruud is soon in the soup at 0-30. Has to play quite brilliantly to even win a point at the moment. Does so. 15-30. Second serve at 15-30 and Djokovic gambles, goes early, flays a forehand winner. 15-40.
Ruud saves the first of the break points with a fine forehand.
Saves the next one as well, longer point, well played by Ruud. Can he hang in this match, hope that Djokovic tires, or slips and hurts himself?
Djokovic sends Ruud out wide at deuce, great early aggressive forehand return. Wins a point with a smash to set up another BP….
Novak hits long and that’s three break points saved. He is chuntering at Goran in the box.
Whatever was said, it’s tuned Djokovic up even further and he has now broken the Ruud serve.
03:46 PM
Ruud* 6-7 (1-7), 0-1 Djokovic (* denotes next server)
Ominous. Djokovic has moved up a gear. Holds the opening game of this second set with authority. Ruud has got big problems.
03:40 PM
Players are off for a good seven minutes
Ruud back on first. I think they’re only allowed three minutes. Not sure I care personally. Bit like over rates in cricket. So what? I’m in no rush.
Simon Briggs: “Kudos to both players for a ferocious battle in that first set. You’d have to assume that Djokovic will try to play more aggressively in the second. Were he to spend another 80 minutes on the second set, it could become a contest of fitness rather than skill. And Ruud might be more likely to win that sort of battle.”
03:39 PM
Frontrunning Novak
Djokovic is 14 for 17 in Slam finals when winning the first set.
Bathroom break…
03:34 PM
Djokovic leads 1-0 in sets
Two sets from history.
03:27 PM
Novak Djokovic wins the first set tiebreak 7-1
That’s the shot of the match so far, as Djokovic stretches those rubbery arms and reaches for a wide forehand, hitting a brilliant, improbable winner to win the first point of the breaker and garner a minibreak. CR 0-1 ND
And Djokovic wins the next two as well! Ruud has a chance here but ND will not go away, and Ruud has flumped an unforced error with the court a begging: CR 0-3 ND
Ruud gets on the board but Djokovic is just starting to crush him mentally here, it’s 5-1. For the millionth time in this astonishing career, when Djokovic is under pressure, he always seems to find something extra. CR 1 ND 5
Talking of which, here’s ace number three and it’s CR 1-6 ND.
Five set points…. but he needs just one. Novak Djokovic wins the first set tiebreak 7-1
Henman: “It is incredible, at the most important moments he is the one who just delivers time and time again.”
03:26 PM
Ruud 6-6 Djokovic – we are going to a tiebreak
Djokovic wraps that up without much fuss. He’s won five of five TBs so far.
03:22 PM
Ruud 6-5 Djokovic* (* denotes next server)
Ruud holds serve. Djokovic must now serve to stay in the first set.
03:13 PM
Ruud* 5-5 Djokovic (* denotes next server)
Again Novak looks shaky with the overhead, albeit that he would still have won this point had he not slipped over. But that makes it 0-30 and Ruud has a big chance here on the Novak serve. Djokovic fights hard to level at 30-30.
At 30-30, ND needs a second serve and Ruud misses a big opportunity when he puts a makeable groundstroke wide. Djokovic settles the matter shortly after.
Each man has won 35 points.
03:08 PM
Ruud 5-4 Djokovic* (* denotes next server)
Ruud says something to the umpire at that changeover. He is soon 0-30 down. He has lost 14 of the last 20 points. Djokovic puts a groundstroke wide.
Eurosport commentator is speculating that Ruud has complained to the umpire about how long it is taking ND to serve each time? In fairness, the crowd won’t shut up so the ump has to give ND longer.
That’s not the matter at hand though for Ruud, who is serving at 15-30. Ace! His first.
But at 30-30, a long rally ends with Ruud slicing a backhand volley into the net. Wasn’t the right shot, wasn’t the right execution either.
It’s 30-40 and this is a key moment for the younger man. Ruud plays the point well, Djokovic keeping him pinned back in the backhand corner but once Ruud gets a chance with his forehand he takes it! Well played son.
Djokovic doubles up in effort. It’s 40-40.
Djokovic slips – it’s very humid there and slippery by the looks. He’s okay.
Ruud manages to wrap the game up, that is a vital hold.
02:59 PM
Ruud* 4-4 Djokovic (* denotes next server)
Neither play has got the touch game working just yet, it has been all heavy metal so far. BUT here’s a nice wee thing – a clever little drop from Ruud dies, winning the point, with Novak unable to get there. That makes it 30-40 and another break.
Ruud lobs the ball up, and Djokovic cannot kill it with the smash, but he gets a soft ball back and he seals the deal with a forehand volley.
It’s deuce.
Djokovic wins this game. The Le Mans 24 Hour Race is just concluding. Will we get a marathon here?
02:48 PM
Ruud 4-3 Djokovic* (* denotes next server)
Mis-hit from Ruud at 15-0.
Generally though, the Norwegian’s forehand has been excellent, bold and commanding.
Again Novak messes up a smash! Strange.
But Ruud, overambitious, attacks too early with a forehand and misses. Gives Djokovic a break point.
And what a point this is, Djokovic with his trademark baseline defence, he will never give in, again and again he returns from seemingly hopeless situations. Under total pressure, he is forced into a desperate lob… Ruud steadies himself… and hits the smash into the net. Oh no! A break for Djokovic.
02:46 PM
Ruud* 4-2 Djokovic (* denotes next server)
Djokovic is serving 83% of his first serves in, versus just 35% for Ruud. Yet it’s the Norwegian who is a break up. Weird.
Djokovic takes this service game without much fuss, too.
02:41 PM
Ruud 4-1 Djokovic* (* denotes next server)
At 30-15, Djokovic is in real control of the point, moving Ruud around the court like a chess piece, but then a surprising blunder from Novak as he hits long with the court at his mercy.
Ruud has won 14 of 17 points that have gone on for five shots or more….
And Ruud has also won this service game.
02:37 PM
Ruud* 3-1 Djokovic (* denotes next server)
The veteran is on the board with an authoritative service hold. He’s getting 85% of his first serves in.
02:33 PM
Ruud 3-0 Djokovic* (* denotes next server)
Ruud is in trouble at 15-30 but Djokovic makes his tenth unforced error with an ambitious backhand drive and it’s 30-30. Impressive hitting from the younger man as he crunches a ball right onto the line. Consolidates his strong start and those who’ve backed Novak at 1-6 starting to feel a little bit queasy I would expect as Ruud holds serve here. Long way to go.
02:18 PM
Ruud* 2-0 Djokovic (* denotes next server)
Someone’s done a funny in the crowd, can’t tell what, but it’s while Djokovic is serving at 15-15. People titter in that specifically tennisy way. Tennis crowds are the absolute worst. I guess it is possible the spectators could become a factor today and try to disrupt Djokovic.
He’s not at his best yet, that’s for sure. A couple of unforced errors in this game – and soon it is 30-40. Break point. Novak really swinging big on this point and he has Ruud on the back foot, eventually battered into submission.
Djoko having to work hard to hold here. It’s now 40-40 for the third time.
And another deuce! Game is now coming up to ten minutes in length. Djokovic with a weak second serve and Ruud unloads on that with a ferocious crosscourt to make it deuce for the fifth time.
ND wild crosscourt, Ruud has his third break point. In big trouble at the back of the court, Ruud tries a defensive lob and Djokovic has hit his overhead long. Well, well! That is a break of service to Ruud. Here is Simon Briggs:
“The lesser spotted “Djokosmash” there as Ruud breaks in game 2! It used to be said that the overhead was Djokovic’s one weakness. In truth, he has improved it, and it rarely breaks down these days. Unless he is tight. Which is visibly the case here. Hence the framed smash on break point.”
02:12 PM
Ruud 1-0 Djokovic* (* denotes next server)
Djokovic follows a substandard drop shot with a substandard lob and Ruud gobbles this up to move to 30-0. Another drop shot from Novak, not got that stroke working yet but an interesting tactic, maybe to confuse or unsettle?
Ruud wraps the game up to love. That will steady him I am sure.
02:11 PM
Casper Ruud
will serve first.
02:10 PM
Simon Briggs
“Well we had a lovely performance of Ravel’s Bolero while the roof was closed, complete with acrobatic dancers – one of whom performed a backflip over the net to great cheers. (How come the French are always more sophisticated than everyone else?) But now the roof is open again. Go figure.”
02:09 PM
Ruud is wearing
a dark navy shirt. Djokovic in that burnt sienna/marmalade number.
02:04 PM
Djokovic is the third seed
Ruud is four.
The roof is now open again.
02:04 PM
Ruud also given a warm welcome
“I am excited, I slept well last night.”
02:03 PM
The players are coming out
Novak gets a good hand, he’s in a dark orange and navy blue Lacoste tracky top.
01:50 PM
Tiger Tim Henman
doing a nice feature here about a search for a grass court in Paris. He’s found one in the British Embassy and he’s going to have a game with Alize Lim. Tim is late, he says, because he was having a cup of tea. Now he’s meeting the British ambassador to Paris! This might be Peak Henman, God love him.
01:45 PM
McEnroe’s assessment
He tells Eurosport viewers: “There is not one thing Ruud does better than Djokovic.”
01:42 PM
They are closing the roof
on Court Philippe Chatrier. Rain about.
01:41 PM
Simon Briggs is in Paris
“It’s been another hot and humid day in a hot and humid fortnight in Paris – but now there’s a few drops of rain in the air and the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier is closing. Hard to say if it makes a big difference to the outcome, but I wouldn’t imagine that Djokovic will be displeased. From his perspective, the fewer variables (sun/wind etc) the better,” writes our tennis correspondent.
01:37 PM
Seniors on parade!
Mats Wilander and John McEnroe have played Yannick Noah and another older feller who I don’t recognise in a doubles match. Eurosport showing that now. Wilander now having a chat with the much-loved Frenchman.
Yannick, of course, won the 1983 edition of this. I am a big fan of Wilander as a broadcaster. Seven time major winner himself.
01:29 PM
The betting odds
Novak Djokovic is as short as 1-6 in some places but generally backable (well, not really backable but there you have it) at 1-5. If you fancy a flutter on the Norwegian, he’s available at 4-1
01:17 PM
Men’s French Open Final coming up
Good afternoon and welcome to our live blog of the men’s final, where it is 22 Grand Slams plays Zero Grand Slams. Young Casper Ruud has it all to do against one of the all-time greats, the mighty Novak Djokovic, but the 24-year-old from Oslo has already accomplished one of the most difficult tasks in all of sport this week, when he beat Rafael Nadal on clay. That was in the semi, and it earns him a shot at the Serbian legend.
If Djokovic wins, he will break his tie with Rafael Nadal: the two great rivals are locked on 22 major trophies.
Djokovic said: “I put myself, again, in a position to fight for another Grand Slam trophy. I’ve been very fortunate that most of the matches in tournaments I’ve played in the last few years, there is history on the line. I like the feeling. It’s a privilege.”
The only two people in tennis history with 23 majors or more are Serena Williams, who retired after last season with 23, all during the Open era, and Margaret Court, who won 24, some during the amateur era.
Djokovic’s first Grand Slam title came in 2008 at the Australian Open, which he has won 10 times. He’s collected seven at Wimbledon, three at the U.S. Open and two at the French Open — in 2016 and 2021.
A victory over Ruud would also make Djokovic, the 36-year-old from Belgrade, the first man to claim at least three championships at each major event.
Ruud was the runner-up to Nadal at the French Open last year and to Alcaraz at the U.S. Open in 2022. Can he go one better?
Well, the omens are not too good: Djokovic has won all four matches vs Ruud, taking all eight sets they have played against each other.
“I’m going to have to try to come up with a better game plan,” Ruud said, “and just know I’m going to have to play my best game — my ‘A’ game, my best level that I’ve ever played — if I want to have a chance against him.”
Sounds about right to me. Players will be on court at half two UK time…
