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Novak Djokovic came back from a set down to secure a 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 victory over 22-year-old local favourite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the opening round of the French Open on Sunday. This thrilling encounter marked Djokovic`s record-breaking 82nd Grand Slam appearance.
The 24-time major champion is chasing a historic fourth Roland Garros title, a victory that would break his current tie with Margaret Court and establish him as the player with the most Grand Slam singles titles in tennis history at 25.
Djokovic showed signs of early-season rustiness during the opening set. Mpetshi Perricard capitalised on this, bringing the Parisian crowd to their feet with a crucial service break in the 11th game before serving out the set. Djokovic responded firmly in the second set to level the match, before leaning on his baseline experience to comfortably pull away from the young French star in the third and fourth sets.
“Playing a French player on the centre court at Roland Garros is never an easy task. The crowd gets fully invested, and you definitely feel that added pressure,” Djokovic said after the two-hour, 51-minute match.
Stepping onto the clay just two days after celebrating his 39th birthday, Djokovic officially broke the men`s open-era record for the most Grand Slam tournaments contested, moving one ahead of Roger Federer and Feliciano López. Furthermore, this victory tied him with French veterans Richard Gasquet and Antoine Gentian for the men`s record of 22 appearances at Roland Garros.
Djokovic can`t meet Sinner until the final
Despite maintaining a lighter playing schedule in recent months, Djokovic`s grand slam consistency remains formidable; he reached the Australian Open final earlier this year (falling to Carlos Alcaraz) and has made at least the semifinals in his last five consecutive majors.
With two-time defending champion Alcaraz forced to sit out this year`s tournament due to a right wrist injury, Djokovic finds himself in a highly favourable position in the bottom half of the draw. Under tournament seeding, he is positioned so that he cannot face world number one Jannik Sinner until the championship match.
Alongside 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka, who is playing in his farewell French Open, Djokovic stands as one of only two former men`s singles champions competing in the tournament this year.
(With AP inputs)
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