Knoll fans, rejoice! The two-time champion faces a tough challenge from 22-year-old local hope Giovanni Mapetschi Pericard in the opening round of the men’s singles competition at the 2026 French Open on Sunday, May 24. The 39-year-old looked happy and comfortable at the end of a grueling two-hour and 51-minute encounter on Court Philippe Chatrier in Paris.

The win came hours after seventh-seeded Taylor Fritz Compatriot Nishesh Basavareddy dropped In the opening round of Roland Garros.

There were continuing concerns about a serious shoulder injury, derailing her preparations for the clay-court Grand Slams; However, Djokovic brushed aside those fears. She celebrated with a light-hearted, energetic on-court dance after weathering Maphetshi Pericard’s storm in four sets, recovering from a set down to win 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 in the opening round.

The Paris crowd erupted in joy as the post-match celebration turned into a heartfelt family celebration, with Djokovic’s children joining him on the historic Chatrier clay.

Djokovic had played only one match on clay before arriving in Paris, a surprise second-round loss to Dino Prizmich at the Rome Masters in the first week of May. Despite this lack of match practice, he was determined to capture a record-breaking 25th major title. Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from the tournament may have further boosted his ambitions, but many pundits were still curious to see how his body would fare, especially after shoulder problems following his run to the Australian Open final in January.

Much to the delight of his global fan base, Djokovic looked completely comfortable in terms of his physical fitness, with no visible signs of shoulder trouble. However, there was an undeniable layer of competitive rust that had to be removed before the match could really settle in.

great service giovanni

The 22-year-old Giovanni, united by a partisan home crowd, was unwilling to make life easy for the champion. In the opening set, the giant server was in sensational form, winning 91 percent of his first serves compared to Djokovic’s 80 percent.

The Frenchman’s blazing serve made all the difference early on. The young contender was firing shots at an average speed of 215 km/h, which was 28 km/h faster than Djokovic’s own average.

As a result, Djokovic was unable to muster a single break point in the opening set, while Empetshi Pericard converted a solitary, crucial opportunity to win the opener 7–5.

There was no immediate disappointment from the youngster as he held serve and returned with immense authority to put the pressure on Djokovic. The Serb fought hard to get break points, but whenever danger loomed, Mpetshi Pericard responded with a ferocious first serve to get out of trouble.

The Frenchman mixed up his targets beautifully, firing the ball wide at some points and low off the ‘t’ at others to keep Djokovic guessing.

Finally, the veteran superstar found his rhythm. He converted a crucial break point in the twilight of the second set, and successfully escaped the tie-break lottery to level the match.

After winning such a hard-fought set, Mpetshi Pericard looked somewhat disappointed in the third set. Sensing his opponent’s sudden drop in temperament and intensity, Djokovic immediately improved his game. The Frenchman lost almost 20 km/h of speed on his first serve, allowing Djokovic to create break points at will and he won the third set 6–1.

Djokovic started the fourth set with an immediate break and it looked as if the match would be one-sided from that moment on. However, Mpetshi Pericard showed great courage to make an immediate comeback and hold her next serve to put the pressure back on the champion. The youngster did everything in his power to stay within touching distance, but Djokovic completely found his range, and overcame the difficult moments with trademark composure to win 6–4 and wrap up the match.

Speaking on court after the bout, Djokovic heaped praise on the world number 83, paying particular tribute to his tremendous serves and the remarkable control with which he executes them.

Djokovic addressed the Paris crowd in French, saying, “I played against Giovanni for the first time this evening. I’m sure it would feel different if I played him five or ten times, but his serve is really very good. It’s difficult to read that kind of serve and it’s probably the first or second time in my career I’ve had to face that kind of delivery. He’s made life incredibly difficult for me.”

Why peppy dance?

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

“To be honest, throughout my career, I have always focused a lot on dedication. I bring full commitment to my tennis, but I also want to experience enjoyment. I want the enjoyment of playing with patience and experiencing these great matches.

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

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

Djokovic will now face world No. 74 Valentin Royer, another French player, in the second round. After receiving two days off, the Serb will return to the practice court to prepare for his first meeting with Royer, who advanced after defeating Bolivian qualifier Hugo Dellien in straight sets.

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