French Open: Novak Djokovic survives an early scare to dance his way into the second round

Nola fans, rejoice! The two-time French Open 2026 champion saw off a stiff threat from 22-year-old local hope Giovanni Mpetshi Perricardo in the opening round of the men’s singles on Sunday, May 24. The 39-year-old looked happy and comfortable at the end of a grueling two-hour and 51-minute encounter at Court Philippe Chatrier in Paris.

The win came hours after Taylor Fritz was seeded seventh fired by compatriot Nishesh Basavareddy in the opening round at Roland Garros.

There were lingering concerns about a nagging shoulder injury that had derailed his preparation for the Grand Slam clay court; However, Djokovic brushed off these concerns. He celebrated with a happy, joyous on-court dance after weathering Mpetshi Perricard’s storm in four sets, recovering from a set down to win the opening round 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4.

The Paris crowd erupted into cheers as the post-match celebration turned into a warm family affair as Djokovic’s children joined him on the historic Chatrier clay.

Djokovic had played just one match on clay prior to his arrival in Paris, a surprise second-round defeat to Dino Prizmic at the Rome Masters in the first week of May. Despite this lack of wrestling experience, he emerged determined to capture a record 25th major title. Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from the tournament must have fueled his ambitions even more, but many pundits were still keen to see how his body would hold up, especially after the shoulder problems that cropped up following his run to the Australian Open final in January.

Much to the delight of his worldwide fan base, Djokovic looked completely comfortable in terms of his physical fitness and showed no visible signs of shoulder pain. However, there was an undeniable layer of competitive rust that he had to shake off before he could really settle into the match.

BIG SERVE GIOVANNI

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard had a tough fight with Novak Djokovic (Photo Reuters)

The 22-year-old Giovanni, who was rallied by a loyal home crowd, was not ready to make life easy for the champion. The tall player was in sensational form in the opening set, winning 91 per cent of first serve points compared to Djokovic’s 80 per cent.

The brisk pace of the Frenchman’s serve made the difference early on. The young hopeful hit shots at an average speed of 215 km/h, which was 28 km/h faster than Djokovic’s own average.

As a result, Djokovic failed to win a single break point in the opening set, while Mpetshi Perricard seized a lone crucial opportunity to grab the opening 7-5.

There was no immediate letdown from the youngster either as he continued to serve and return with immense authority, piling the pressure back on Djokovic. The Serb fought furiously to uncover break points, but whenever there was danger, Mpetshi Perricard responded with a ferocious first serve to wrestle himself out of trouble.

The Frenchman mixed up his targets beautifully, slicing the ball wide at some points and hitting it to the ‘T’ at others to keep Djokovic guessing.

Finally, the veteran superstar found his rhythm. He converted a critical break point in the twilight of the second set, successfully avoiding the tie-break lottery and leveling the match.

After conceding such a hard-fought set, Mpetshi Perricard looked somewhat down in the third. Djokovic immediately upped his game, sensing a sudden drop in his opponent’s flair and intensity. The Frenchman lost nearly 20km/h on his first serve, allowing Djokovic to create break points at will and sail through the third set 6-1.

Djokovic opened the fourth set with an immediate break and it looked like it would be a one-way match from that point on. However, Mpetshi Perricard showed immense grit to break immediately and hold his follow-up serve to put the pressure back on the champion. The youngster did his best to stay within touch but Djokovic, fully finding his range, navigated the tricky moments with typical composure to seal a 6-4 victory and close out the match.

Speaking on court after the battle, Djokovic praised the world No.83, paying special tribute to his stunning serves and the remarkable control with which he executed them.

“I played against Giovanni tonight for the very first time. I’m sure it would be different if I had to play him five or 10 times, but his serve is really great. It’s hard to read a serve like that and it’s probably only the first or second time in my career that I’ve encountered a serve like that. He made my life incredibly difficult,” Djokovic told the Paris audience in French.

WHY PEPPY DANCE?

When asked about the little dance he did to celebrate the win in front of his watching family, Djokovic reflected on his career mindset.

“Honestly, I’ve always focused a lot on dedication throughout my career. I’ve brought total commitment to my tennis, but I also want to experience joy. I want the joy of playing with patience and experiencing these great matches.

“I’m always looking for that beautiful feeling, that radiant feeling on the court. It’s a great opportunity to play here at Roland Garros and I’m deeply grateful.”

“But when you’re in the heat of a tournament on a big court, it’s hard to process everything. Sometimes I simply smile to avoid heavy emotions and take the pressure off. Playing against a French player in Paris is always a tough challenge, so I try to dance instead.”

Djokovic will now face world No. 74 Valentin Royer, another Frenchman, in the second round. After earning a welcome two-day break, the Serb will return to the practice courts to prepare for his first-ever meeting with Royer, who advanced after beating Bolivian qualifier Hugo Dellien in straight sets.

– The end

Issued by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

25 May 2026 03:40 IST

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