Djokovic fights through tough Roland Garros opener
Key takeaways
- THOMAS SAMSON / AFP Novak Djokovic battled from behind to keep his dream of winning a 25th major crown at Roland Garros alive as the clay-court Grand Slam got underway on Sunday, May 24.
- Lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for a fourth time would send the 39-year-old Djokovic clear as the player with the most major titles in the history of the sport.
- But that dream looked in jeopardy in his opening match against the big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who was playing in front of a vocal home support in the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Winner Serbia's Novak Djokovic (R) greets France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at the end of their men's singles match on day 1 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex, Paris, May 24, 2026. THOMAS SAMSON / AFP Novak Djokovic battled from behind to keep his dream of winning a 25th major crown at Roland Garros alive as the clay-court Grand Slam got underway on Sunday, May 24.
Lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for a fourth time would send the 39-year-old Djokovic clear as the player with the most major titles in the history of the sport. Djokovic's last Grand Slam title came at the US Open in 2023, and with double-defending Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz missing through injury, he knows this is a big chance to seal that elusive quarter century of crowns.
But that dream looked in jeopardy in his opening match against the big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who was playing in front of a vocal home support in the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier. The Serb had to deploy all of his expertise as a returner to finally find a way to break the 2.01-meter Mpetshi Perricard's serve as he fought back to win 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 in just under three hours on court.