French Open: Novak Djokovic survives early scare, dances his way into second round

French Open 2026: Novak Djokovic recovered from a set down to beat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in four sets at Roland Garros. The win eased shoulder concerns and set up another meeting with a French opponent.

In Short

• Djokovic won a demanding four-set opener that lasted two hours 51 minutes
• Shoulder injury fears faded as the Serb showed no visible discomfort
• The two-time champion will take on another Frenchman in the second round

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

The win came hours after seventh seed Taylor Fritz was dumped out 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 clay-court Grand Slam; however, Djokovic brushed aside those fears. He celebrated with a light-hearted, peppy on-court dance after weathering Mpetshi Perricard's storm in four sets, recovering from a set down to claim the opening round 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4.

The Parisian crowd erupted into cheers as the post-match celebration turned into a heartwarming family affair, with Djokovic’s children joining him on the historic Chatrier clay.

Djokovic had played only one match on clay prior to his arrival in Paris, which was a surprise second-round defeat to Dino Prizmic at the Rome Masters in the first week of May. Despite this lack of match practice, he turned up determined to capture a record-breaking 25th major title. The tournament withdrawal of Carlos Alcaraz must have further fuelled his ambitions, but many pundits were still keen to observe how his body would hold up, particularly after the shoulder issues that flared up following his run to the Australian Open final in January.

Much to the delight of his global fanbase, Djokovic looked entirely comfortable in terms of his physical fitness, showing no visible signs of shoulder distress. However, there was an undeniable layer of competitive rust that he needed to shake off before he could truly settle into the match.

BIG-SERVING GIOVANNI

The 22-year-old Giovanni, rallied by a partisan home crowd, was not prepared to make life easy for the champion. In the opening set, the towering big-server was in sensational form, winning 91 per cent of his first-serve points compared to Djokovic's 80 per cent.

The blistering pace of the Frenchman's serve made all the difference early on. The young hopeful was firing down bullets at an average speed of 215 km/h, which was 28 km/h faster than Djokovic's own average.

Consequently, Djokovic was unable to carve out a single break point in the opening set, while Mpetshi Perricard capitalised on a solitary, crucial opportunity to snatch the opener 7-5.

There was no immediate let-down from the youngster either, as he continued to serve and return with immense authority, piling the pressure back onto Djokovic. The Serb battled fiercely to unearth break points, but whenever danger loomed, Mpetshi Perricard responded with ferocious first serves to wriggle out of trouble.

The Frenchman mixed up his targets beautifully, slicing the ball wide on some points and thumping it down the 'T' on others to keep Djokovic guessing.

Eventually, the veteran superstar found his rhythm. He converted a critical break point towards the twilight of the second set, successfully avoiding the lottery of a tie-break to level the match.

Having conceded such a hard-fought set, Mpetshi Perricard appeared somewhat despondent in the third. Djokovic immediately raised his game, sensing the sudden drop in his opponent's flair and intensity. The Frenchman lost nearly 20 km/h off his first serve, allowing Djokovic to manufacture break points at will and cruise through the third set 6-1.

Djokovic began the fourth set with an immediate break, and it appeared that the match would become one-way traffic from that moment onwards. However, Mpetshi Perricard showed immense grit to break back immediately, holding his subsequent serve to thrust the pressure right back onto the champion. The youngster did everything in his power to stay within touching distance, but Djokovic, having fully found his range, navigated the tricky moments with trademark composure to seal a 6-4 victory and wrap up the match.

Speaking on court after the battle, Djokovic offered glowing praise for the World No. 83, paying special tribute to his thunderous serves and the remarkable control with which he executed them.

"I played against Giovanni for the very first time this evening. I am sure it would feel different if I were to play him five or ten times, but his serve is truly great. It is difficult to read a serve like that, and it is perhaps only the first or second time in my career that I have encountered such a delivery. He made life incredibly difficult for me," Djokovic said, addressing the Parisian crowd in French.

WHY THE PEPPY DANCE?

When questioned about the little dance he used to celebrate the victory in front of his watching family, Djokovic reflected on his career mindset.

"Honestly, throughout my career, I have always focused heavily on dedication. I have 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 am always searching for that beautiful sensation, that vibrant feeling on court. It is a wonderful opportunity to play here at Roland Garros, and I am deeply grateful for it.

"But when you are in the heat of a tournament on a big court, it is difficult to process everything. Sometimes I smile simply to avoid heavy emotions and deflect the pressure. 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 Frenchman, in the second round. Having earned 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 defeating Bolivian qualifier Hugo Dellien in straight sets.

- Ends