Novak Djokovic came back from two sets down in a grand slam final for the first time in his career. He narrowly got the better of Stefanos Tsitsipas in a thrilling French Open final.

Djokovic came back after dropping the first two sets to beat Tsitsipas 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 at Roland Garros.

Tsitsipas, a 22-year-old from Greece, was aiming for his first French Open title. Djokovic, however, went into the match seeking a Grand Slam win, hoping to get within one major title of Nadal and Roger Federer.

Victory takes Djokovic to 19 grand slam titles. Just one shy of the all-time record jointly held by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

Novak Djokovic, ranked No. 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals going into the tournament, lost last year’s French Open against Rafael Nadal. He spoke to cameras in French on the court following his victory, calling his 19th Grand Slam “a dream.”

The 34-year-old Serbian tennis champion made a notable comeback against Tsitsipas, who was ranked No. 5, after losing the first few sets. Djokovic pushed through and rallied against his competitor, offering fans a gripping finale to the Grand Slam tournament.

Their ending set still offered drama. Tsitsipas put forth a final push that didn’t allow Djokovic even a moment’s rest or comfort. Tsitsipas said after the ceremony that he was happy with his performance and congratulated Djokovic.

Djokovic beats Tsitsipas

“I would say I’m inspired by the things he has achieved so far and I hope one day, we can maybe do half of what he has done so far,” Tsitsipas said.

Losing the French Open is something Djokovic said he understood and related to, offering the younger athlete words of support.

“These are the kind of matches that you’ll learn from the most, I think,” Djokovic said. “And knowing him and his team, he is going to come out much stronger from this match today and I definitely believe he’s going to win many Grand Slams in the future.”

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