Novak: Undisputed tennis king

PARIS, France (AFP) — Novak Djokovic, who won a record men's 23rd Grand Slam title, is driven on through controversy by his determination to be the greatest ever.

The Serbian'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 now that he has become the first man to win all four Slams at least three times.

He also keeps plowing on through the highs and lows because it is "a great school of life."

"I would like to send a message to every young person out there. I was a seven-year-old dreaming that I could win Wimbledon and be world no.1 one day," he said.

"I am beyond grateful but I feel I had the power to create my own destiny. I believe it and feel it with every cell in my body. Be in the present moment, forget about the past. If you want a better future, you create it."

While Nadal and now-retired Roger Federer are widely admired, Djokovic continues to divide as well as unite.

His staggering achievements on the court have often been overshadowed by blunders and missteps off it.

The latest was in the first week of the French Open when he wrote "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia" on a courtside TV camera lens as ethnic tensions were again rising in the Balkans.

On court, he was booed for fist-pumping as semi-final rival Carlos Alcaraz wilted with cramping.

"I don't mind. It's not the first; probably not the last. I'll just keep winning," Djokovic said.

His most controversial moment was his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid, which culminated with Djokovic last year being deported from Melbourne on the eve of the 2022 Australian Open.

His uncompromising stance on the vaccine also saw him barred from the United States and unable to play in the US Open.

Even before that, the Serbian was seemingly doomed never to be held in the same esteem as Federer or Nadal, the undisputed people's champions.

There are those who see something too calculating in the Djokovic make-up — an intense, brooding presence prone to affectation.

His infamous default from the US Open in 2020 for petulantly swiping at a ball that hit a female line judge gave a glimpse of his fiery character.

And some of his personal stances have drawn criticism — one claim that raised eyebrows was his belief that it was possible to alter the composition of water and food through positive thinking.