Boris Becker applauds Rafael Nadal for congratulating Novak Djokovic after French Open triumph

Tennis legend Boris Becker hailed Rafael Nadal for his congratulatory message to arch-rival Novak Djokovic, who registered a historic triumph at the 2023 French Open.

Djokovic faced fourth seed Casper Ruud in the Roland Garros final on Sunday, June 11. The Serbian overpowered a solid start from Ruud who claimed a 4-1 lead in the opening set. The third seed produced some powerful hitting with his forehand as he prevailed 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5 over the Norwegian to claim a record 23rd Grand Slam title, surpassing Nadal's 22.

After the match, Nadal was quick to shower praise on the Serb for his massive achievement. The Spaniard wished the fellow player on tour to relish the moment with his family and team.

"Many congrats on this amazing achievement @DjokerNole. 23 is a number that just a few years back was imposible to think about, and you made it! Enjoy it with your family and team," his tweet read.

Becker applauded Nadal for the heartfelt message to his colleague, stating that the Spaniard is always a "class act."

"Always Class Act Rafa," wrote Becker on his Instagram stories.

Via Boris Becker's Instagram stories

Nadal also extended his compliments to the runner-up, Ruud. He retweeted a post from Rafa Nadal Academy which commended the Norwegian on reaching his third Major final and for his admirable values on and off the court.

"Congratulations @CasperRuud98 for reaching your third Grand Slam final! More finals & big [trophy] to come! But most of all, congratulations on being admired by players, fans and all the world of sport for your values on and off the court. We are very proud of you! VAMOS," read the tweet.

With his win, Djokovic is now tied with Serena Williams for the most Grand Slams by a tennis player in the Open Era.

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Novak Djokovic regains No. 1 spot in ATP rankings, Rafael Nadal drops out of top-100

Nadal and Djokovic at the 2022 Laver Cup

In the latest ATP rankings update, Novak Djokovic regained the World No. 1 position. The Serb claimed 1,640 points following his title triumph at the French Open which saw him surpass Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev.

Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal's absence from the tour since the Australian Open has cost him dearly. The Spaniard dropped 2,000 ranking points, having failed to defend the title at Roland Garros. He fell 121 spots in the ATP rankings to No. 136.

With the Spaniard having recently undergone hip surgery, a speedy return to the tour looks unlikely.