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Ole, Nole: Novak Djokovic wins the elusive French Open

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic

Congratulations to Novak Djokovic, who finally won the French Open on his 12th attempt, defeating Andy Murray 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 Sunday at Roland Garros in Paris.

“It’s a very special day, perhaps the biggest moment of my career,” Djokovic said in French to the Parisian crowd. The win made him the eighth man in tennis history to complete the career Grand Slam and the third man, behind Don Budge and Rod Laver, to hold all four Slam singles titles at once. (Budge and Laver, of course, did it in a calendar year, Laver twice – the last time 47 years ago.)

Murray, who has played his friendly rival since their junior days and is a week older, was classy in defeat. “This is his day today,” the No. 2 seed said. “What he’s achieved in the last 12 months is phenomenal.”

Can the phenomenal continue? Can Nole go on to win Wimbledon, take the gold in Rio and then the US Open?

And why stop there? Can he surpass Roger Federer’s 17 Slam titles?

It may be a dream too far. But as Mohammad Ali said, “The man with no imagination has no wings.”