FRENCH OPEN — Paris. By Leo Canaparo
At 39 years old, Novak Djokovic continues rewriting tennis history. The Serbian legend opened his campaign at the French Open by making his 82nd Grand Slam main draw appearance — an all-time record in men’s tennis, moving past both Roger Federer and Feliciano López.
But the milestone came with a demanding challenge.
Facing powerful 22-year-old Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard under the lights of Court Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic was immediately pushed to the limit. Perricard’s explosive serve earned him the opening set 7-5, while the Serbian’s physical condition raised questions early in the night. Wearing tape on his right shoulder and struggling at times to generate his usual pace, the world No. 4 had to rely on experience, patience, and tactical intelligence.
What followed was another example of why Djokovic remains one of the sport’s greatest competitors.
After dropping the first set, the three-time Roland Garros champion adjusted his return position, improved his anticipation, and slowly took control of the rallies. He stormed back 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 in the following sets to complete a hard-fought victory after two hours and 51 minutes in hot and humid Parisian night conditions.
The win also extended Djokovic’s flawless record in first rounds at Roland Garros to 22-0. Even more impressively, he has never lost to a French player at the tournament, improving that mark to 13-0. His next opponent will be Valentin Royer, who advanced after defeating Hugo Dellien.
Speaking after the match, Djokovic admitted that reading Perricard’s serve was the decisive factor.
“Anticipation was the key,” Djokovic explained. “I had to read his serve and stay focused all the time. Returning in those moments was extremely difficult.”
Roland Garros has played a defining role in the later stages of Djokovic’s legendary career. In recent years, Paris became the place where he completed some of the greatest achievements in tennis history. His 2023 title at Roland Garros gave him a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam crown at the time, surpassing Rafael Nadal’s men’s record and further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players ever to hold a racquet. A year later, despite physical struggles and injuries, Djokovic once again showed his resilience on the Paris clay, proving that even as younger generations emerge, his competitive fire remains untouched.
Now, with 82 Grand Slam appearances and still fighting deep into the biggest tournaments in the world, Djokovic continues to demonstrate that longevity at the highest level is no accident — it is the product of discipline, adaptation, and an unmatched hunger for history.