Now Djokovic targets Grand Slam record

• Serb could become first in more than 50 years to win all four titles in calendar year

Novak Djokovic has a real shot at becoming the first man in more than 50 years to win all four Grand Slam titles in a calendar year after the Serb added the French Open to his Australian Open title on Sunday, seventime Major winner Mats Wilander said.

The clay court Grand Slam has been the most difficult Major for Djokovic to win, with Sunday’s victory only his second at Roland Garros, and he heads to Wimbledon next where he is the two-time defending champion.

The 34-year-old world No 1 is a force to be reckoned with on hard courts too, having won a record nine titles in Melbourne and three US Open trophies, making him a favourite to win at Flushing Meadows in September. Djokovic agreed it is possible that he could match the 1969 achievement of Rod Laver, the last man to win all four singles titles, and that he could even complete a “Golden Slam” by adding the Olympic title at the Tokyo Games.

“We are now heading into the season where we would have to put Novak as the favourite to win Wimbledon most probably, favourite at the US Open because of what he does on hard courts,” Eurosport pundit Wilander said.

“So yes, it’s on and the way he looks — he looks young, he looks so fresh at the end, he looks scary good and motivated.”

Djokovic displayed mental strength and physical fitness on Sunday to come back from two sets down and beat Greek 22-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas after battling for four hours and 11 minutes, the exact time he took to get past 13-time French Open winner Rafa Nadal in the semifinals less than 48 hours earlier.

Mischa Zverev, the brother of world No 6 Alexander, said Djokovic already looked like he had turned his attention to Wimbledon.

“He is a legend, and he is on the way to winning all four in the same year,” Zverev said on Eurosport. “I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but his achievement is incredible, especially the way he won today.

“I was looking at Novak when they were preparing the trophy ceremony and he looked like he was getting ready for Wimbledon. He was so focused.

“I think in his mind already he was thinking about who he was going to play at Wimbledon, how am I going play, I need to get ready with my preparation and recovery — he is a machine.”

● Tsitsipas pulled out of the Wimbledon warm-up event in Halle, Germany, on Monday because of personal reasons.

Tsitsipas accepted a wild card into the ATP 500 grasscourt event in Halle and was also scheduled to play doubles with his brother Petros.

“He will be replaced by lucky loser Yannick Hanfmann in the singles draw,” the ATP said.

Tsitsipas revealed in an emotional social media post on Monday that he had learnt of the death of his paternal grandmother only five minutes before the French Open final.

“Five minutes before entering the court my very beloved grandmother lost her battle for life,” Tsitsipas wrote on Instagram.

“A wise woman whose faith in life and willingness to give and provide can’t be compared to any other human being that I have ever met.

“It’s important to have more people like her in this world. Because people like her make you come alive. They make you dream.”

Tsitsipas also put Sunday’s defeat in perspective. “Life isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about enjoying every single moment in life whether that’s alone or with others,” he wrote.

“(It’s about) living a meaningful life without misery and abjection. Lifting trophies and celebrating wins is something, but not everything.”