By Kevin Rademeyer, Sport Journalist.
Caption: Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard of France during their first round men’s singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, May 24, 2026.Photo | AP.
The noise inside Court Philippe Chatrier rose with every ace, every missed return, every flicker of vulnerability from Novak Djokovic. For one set, Roland Garros felt ready to consume him.
A fearless French outsider was swinging freely, the crowd sensed blood, and the greatest player of his generation looked briefly cornered by time, power and doubt.
Then Djokovic did what champions do when matches begin slipping toward chaos. He tightened the space around the court. He slowed the panic. He endured.
By the end of a bruising four set battle against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, the Serbian had survived his opening round scare and moved one step deeper into a tournament that could yet deliver a record breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
The scoreline only partly explained the struggle. Mpetshi Perricard’s serve arrived with frightening speed and accuracy, leaving Djokovic stranded through much of the opening exchanges. Break points disappeared. Rhythm vanished. At times, the Serbian looked trapped in a match being played entirely on the Frenchman’s terms. “His serve is one of the most impressive I’ve seen,” Djokovic admitted afterwards.
But the longer the contest stretched, the more the match shifted toward instinct, discipline and emotional control, areas where Djokovic still operates with unmatched precision. After dropping the first set, he gradually began reading the serve better, extending rallies and forcing the younger player into uncomfortable territory.
There were signs of physical strain on both sides. Mpetshi Perricard appeared troubled late in the match, while Djokovic himself continues to search for rhythm after arriving in Paris with limited clay court preparation following a shoulder injury setback.
Even so, the win carried another piece of history. By stepping onto court for his opening match at Roland Garros, Djokovic recorded his 82nd main draw Grand Slam appearance, the most in men’s tennis history, moving ahead of Roger Federer and Feliciano Lopez.
The achievement felt almost secondary to the larger question hanging over this tournament: how far can Djokovic still go? The answer may depend on whether anyone can stop Jannik Sinner, the world number one who arrives in Paris in devastating form. Djokovic himself has acknowledged the Italian as the man to beat.
Yet nights like this are why dismissing Djokovic remains dangerous. He may no longer glide through early rounds untouched. The matches are harder now. Recovery takes longer. But in the moments where tension thickens and lesser players rush, Djokovic still finds clarity. And for now, that remains enough to keep history alive.