Now the test of Novak Djokovic as the world's best tennis player begins.
The world's No. 1 player came so painstakingly close to winning the career Grand Slam but again was thwarted in the one event that has eluded him - the French Open.
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According to several media outlets, Djokovic said he was beaten by a better man Sunday during his 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 loss to Stan Wawrinka in the finals after having taken down French Open king Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals and survived a two-day, see-saw affair against Andy Murray.
"Of course it hurts, especially because it was in the final. I think I have played a great clay-court season, a great Roland Garros," Djokovic said, according to BBC Sport. "I came to the position to really win this trophy. I was set up and was really in the match and trying to play tactically as I intended.
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"But he just found the solutions on the court. This is sport. That's what happens on this level. You have to accept the loss."
The question for Djokovic is how long will he let this linger? Will he resume is dominant season next month at Wimbledon or has his confidence been shaken, like Nadal's has?
ESPN compared Djokovic's loss Sunday to Wawrinka to Pete Sampras' 2000 U.S. Open loss to Marat Safin 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
"Yet, it may have been Sampras' least painful Grand Slam loss, because Safin simply shot out the lights and Sampras was too realistic and respectful of a great performance to begrudge the youngster," ESPN reported. "He shrugged off the loss, later saying, 'The guy was just too good. Everything he hit went in.'
"Djokovic felt much the same way Sunday. As reporters prevailed upon him to rationalize how he lost the match, he said: 'In the end of the day he was just a better player. There was no reason to find some excuses why this happened.'"
Djokovic was gracious throughout what had to be a difficult post-match trophy ceremony for him. The only sign of frustration came after the match in a few comments he said to the media.
"I think people tend to create more of a story where it's just me," he said. "It feels like I'm the only player who wants to win this trophy and nobody wants to win it as much as I do. This is completely untrue.
"Every single player who is here, especially the top players, want to win this trophy as much as do."
Until Sunday, however, no one had shown himself to be superior to Djokovic in a best-of-5-set match. Now, Djokovic's true colors figure to come out.
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