After conquering "Mount Everest", Novak Djokovic aims to scale Mount Olympus on Sunday and with it take his place among an ultra-elite group of players that excludes even Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Djokovic, 34, has now achieved the impossible twice after beating Nadal, the defending and record 13-time French Open champion, in an instant classic of a semi-final on Friday, helping atone for last year's one-sided final against the Spaniard. It was just the third loss in 108 matches at Roland Garros for Nadal following a fourth round defeat to Robin Soderling in 2009 and a quarter-final reverse against Djokovic in 2015. Following <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/tennis/one-of-my-greatest-djokovic-compares-beating-nadal-at-french-open-to-scaling-mount-everest-1.1239580">his 3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2 triumph</a>, which lasted a gruelling four hours and 11 minutes, Djokovic was given less than 48 hours to recover, physically and emotionally, for a historic final against Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. It is the sort of adversity that the supremely fit Djokovic is not only plenty used to but thrives in. "It's not the first time that I play an epic semi-final in a Grand Slam and then I have to come back in less than 48 hours and play finals," he said. "My recovery abilities have been pretty good throughout my career." So Sunday's final will be business as usual for Djokovic, whose 29th Grand Slam title match offers the opportunity for even more than a 19th major trophy. Victory will take Djokovic alongside Roy Emerson and Rod Laver as the only men to win all four Grand Slams more than once. It's an achievement that has proved even beyond the capabilities of 20-time major champions Nadal and Federer. It is so rare an accomplishment that it hasn't happened since 1969 when Laver completed his second calendar Grand Slam. Djokovic will enter Court Philippe Chatrier as a fairly comfortable favourite against a player competing in his first major final and against whom he holds a 5-2 win-loss record, including all three wins on clay. However, Tsitsipas has a chance at creating some sizeable history of his own and will take great confidence from his status as the hottest player on tour in 2021 with a season-leading 39 wins. Tsitsipas, 22, is aiming to become the youngest winner in Paris since Nadal in 2008 and overall at the Slams since Juan Martin del Potro at the 2009 US Open. Even more significantly, Tsitsipas is one win away from becoming Greece's first ever major champion. "I've never believed, have never really thought at what age this achievement might come. But I'm really happy with myself. I think I've shown good discipline so far," he said after outlasting Alexander Zverev over five sets in their semi-final. "I'm looking forward to leaving my entire body on the court." That will be the required minimum if Tsitsipas is to topple Djokovic in a final that pits one of the game's greats against one of its biggest future stars with plenty of history on the line.
