Novak Djokovic, the third seed at the French Open, battled back from a set down to defeat French wildcard Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in his opening match on Tuesday. Djokovic, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Friday, appeared to shake off early rust and a lack of match sharpness to secure a 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 victory on Court Philippe-Chatrier, extending his first-round winning streak at Roland Garros to 22 matches.
Djokovic’s Selective Schedule and Early Struggles
Djokovic has adopted a more selective approach to his playing schedule in recent seasons as he aims to preserve his fitness while chasing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title. This strategy has meant fewer matches on court, and he arrived in Paris having played only 11 singles matches in 2026. His solitary clay-court outing prior to the French Open was a three-set loss to Dino Prizmic at the Rome Masters.
This lack of recent match play was evident in the early stages of his first-round encounter. Djokovic struggled to read the serve and powerful forehand of the 6-foot-7-inch Mpetshi Perricard, a player ranked world number 83. Key moments saw Djokovic lacking his usual clinical precision, contributing to him dropping the opening set.
Momentum Shift and Djokovic’s Resilience
However, after converting his fourth set point to level the match in the second set, the momentum began to swing decisively in Djokovic’s favor. He then dominated the third set, winning it in just 22 minutes. The Serbian controlled the match from that point forward, ultimately closing out the win.
“Congratulations to Giovanni,” Djokovic stated in French during his on-court interview. “I played him for the first time and it’s practically impossible to see where he will serve. It’s like something I’ve seen maybe one or two times in my career, with Reilly Opelka or Ivo Karlovic.”
Djokovic acknowledged the difficulty of the match, stating, “In a match like that, you have to stay focused and wait for an opportunity. It was a bit difficult, but in the end, I found my best tennis and best return game at the right moment.”
Mpetshi Perricard’s Impressive Performance
Mpetshi Perricard, making his main draw debut at Roland Garros with only one previous tournament win, showed little sign of being intimidated by the occasion or his opponent. He was particularly effective on his first serve, winning 82% of points behind it, a testament to his powerful game, which notably set a tournament speed record at last year’s Wimbledon.
His forehand proved equally dangerous, whether from the baseline or at the net. In the first half of the match, Mpetshi Perricard outhit Djokovic in winners, with 38 to Djokovic’s 26. The young Frenchman appeared to be hampered by a right wrist injury late in the match.
Djokovic’s Adaptability and Crowd Engagement
Djokovic displayed visible frustration during the first two sets, remonstrating with himself and the crowd, and was demonstrative in his reaction to missing nine break points in the second set. However, upon leveling the match, he embraced his role as a showman, cupping his hand behind his ear to engage the crowd.
He thrived in the lively atmosphere, breaking Mpetshi Perricard’s serve twice and losing only one point on his own serve in the third set. While he experienced a lapse in concentration in the fourth set, conceding an early break, he quickly refocused, securing a decisive fifth break to avoid a fifth set.
Expert Analysis and Other Results
Former professional Annabel Croft commented on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, noting, “That was a really tough opening match for him. The last thing he wanted was to play against such a massive server with such a big weapon in that huge forehand that Mpetshi Perricard possesses.” Croft added, “I thought he played extremely well to get through this match and I kind of enjoyed his attitude – I enjoyed him embracing the challenge, he had to face a home crowd.”
In other notable early results, American seventh seed Taylor Fritz became the first top-10 seed to be eliminated. He lost to compatriot Nishesh Basavareddy in a closely contested match, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (9-11), 6-1. Fritz has been managing knee tendinitis throughout the season, with his loss in Geneva last week being his first match since March.
Meanwhile, German second seed Alexander Zverev, the 2024 finalist, began his campaign with a comfortable straight-sets victory over France’s Benjamin Bonzi.
Looking Ahead
Djokovic’s next challenge will be against Valentin Royer in the second round on Wednesday. As the tournament progresses, all eyes will remain on Djokovic’s fitness and his ability to consistently find his top form against increasingly formidable opponents, especially given his limited match play this season.
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