Djokovic's straight-sets victory against Norway's Casper Ruud gave him his third victory at Roland Garros and 23^rd at the four majors overall.

It took him one clear of Spain's Rafael Nadal, who was unable to add to his 14 French Open and 22 Grand Slam wins because of injury this year.

The 36-year-old Djokovic also became the oldest French Open men's singles champion and the first male player to win each of the Grand Slams at least three times on a historic day on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Djokovic was especially pleased to break the record at the sole clay-court Grand Slam, where his only previous triumphs came in 2016 and 2021.

"I am delighted to be here in this very specific moment in my career," he said.

"It is no coincidence winning my 23rd Grand Slam here in Paris. 

"This tournament has always been the hardest for me to win, so I am very emotional right now.

"This means a lot. 

"I have experienced a lot of emotions on this court and I’m really proud and honoured to share it on this special court."

The first set of the final was closely contested.

World number four Ruud, competing in the final for the second year running after his defeat to Nadal in 2022, broke in Djokovic's first service game to build a 3-0 lead.

However, Djokovic broke back and the set went to a tiebreak, which the Serbian dominated 7-1.

Ruud would not find another break for the remainder of the match, and Djokovic proved too strong in winning the second and third sets 6-3 and 7-5.

Many view Djokovic as a marmite figure in tennis, and his latest controversy came earlier in the French Open when he wrote "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia, stop the violence" on a camera lens after his first-round win against the United States' Aleksandr Kovacevic.

That sparked outrage from the Kosovo Olympic Committee (KOK) which demanded disciplinary action, and a warning from French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra to avoid a repeat.

However, congratulations flooded Djokovic's way after a victory which some pundits including Britain's Tim Henman on Eurosport felt "ended the debate over who is the greatest male player of all time".

IOC President Thomas Bach - under whose leadership the KOK was recognised in 2014 - attended yesterday's women's singles final won by Iga Świątek of Poland and today's men's singles final, and offered his congratulations to Djokovic.

"Chapeau Novak," he said.

"A Grand-Slam record-man in the times of the 'triumvirate' with Roger [Federer of Switzerland] and Rafael, makes you unique.

"See you back on this court next year for the Olympic Games Paris 2024."

The German official met with French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this week on his visit to the French capital, which comes a little more than one year before the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

Nadal praised Djokovic after his rival exceeded his 22 Grand Slam titles.

"Many congrats on this amazing achievement," he wrote on Twitter.

"23 is a number that just a few years back was impossible to think about, and you made it.

"Enjoy it with your family and team."

World number one Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, the 20-year-old beaten by Djokovic in the semi-final on Friday (June 9), also offered his congratulations.

Djokovic is now just one short of Margaret Court of Australia's all-time record of 24 for most singles Grand Slam tournaments won.

He is set to compete for a fifth consecutive Wimbledon title from July 3 to 16, and still has a chance to become the first male player since Rod Laver of Australia in 1969 to complete a calendar Grand Slam with the US Open to follow from August 28 to September 10.

The women's doubles final was also held today, with Chinese Taipei's Hsieh Su-wei and China's Wang Xinyu coming from behind to beat Canada's Leylah Fernandez and the US' Taylor Townsend 1-6, 7-6, 6-1.

Stade Roland Garros is due to host the Olympic tennis tournaments at Paris 2024, as well as the final phases of boxing.

Djokovic's only Olympic medal to date is a men's singles bronze at Beijing 2008, having finished fourth at London 2012 and Tokyo 2020 and lost in the first round at Rio 2016.