Quote of the Day: The way Djokovic raised his level was 'annoying... but very, very impressive,' says Casper Ruud

WATCH: Novak Djokovic & Iga Swiatek Win At Roland Garros | The Break

For about three games in the first set of Sunday’s Roland Garros final, Casper Ruud was in complete control against Novak Djokovic. Leading by a break, the 24-year-old was up 4-2 and later had points to extend his lead—but that’s when everything went sideways.

Djokovic soon shook off a sluggish start, and roared to life winning the opening set in a tiebreak before charging to a 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 victory. It was an all too familiar feeling for Ruud, who has now faced Djokovic five times and has yet to win a set off the 23-time Grand Slam winner.

“I feel like every time I play Novak it's in a big match, so he's motivated to try to win,” Ruud told press after the match. “I feel like I played him many times where he's like the best version of himself, where he's just really locked in, and doesn't give you much… he reads the game very well, it's tough to find winners against him.

“Just all credits and honor to him for how good he is. I gave it my all, but it wasn't enough.”

What made things even tougher for Ruud was the way Djokovic raised his level during the first-set tiebreak. The Serbian player didn’t commit a single unforced error, and allowed Ruud just one point in the decider—to which the Norwegian had nothing but a tip of the hat:

Q: I wanted to ask you about the tiebreaker, not just this one, but others that you have played against him. What makes him so tough in those last few points?

CASPER RUUD: Yeah, he just steps up. Either he plays ridiculous defense or he plays beautiful winners. Just doesn't do any mistakes…

He just locks in and makes it so you have to play either ridiculously well to win the points, or he steps up with a winner himself. He knows how and when to step up. He's smart. He's played so many matches where he knows where he kind of has to raise his level.

Yeah, it's just annoying for me, but it's very, very impressive.

Despite coming up short in the final for a second year in a row, Ruud says his run has given him a renewed confidence in his own skills. Having contested three Grand Slam finals with history on the line for his opponent—Rafael Nadal defeated him in Paris to win his 22nd major title, and Carlos Alcaraz claimed his first Grand Slam victory at last year’s US Open—his own quest for Norwegian tennis history is still on.

"I'm just going to try to be there, stay there, play every point in the right way, and if I have to make it physical, I'll try to make it physical for my opponents,” Ruud reflected.

“I think I've learned that last year was just not a coincidence, and that I can hopefully have more nice experiences here in Roland Garros in the future.”