Djokovic Advances in French Open, Targets Historic 25th Slam

Novak Djokovic commenced his quest for a 25th Grand Slam title with a hard-fought victory in the first round of the French Open on Tuesday night. The defending champion overcame Pierre-Hugues Herbert with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (3), 6-4, although he admitted he wasn't at his peak performance.

“I don't want to get too excited,” Djokovic remarked. “I thought it was a good performance for me. Solid. Of course, I could have done better, I think, on return games, but also credit to him for serving very well, for changing things up.”

This season has been challenging for Djokovic, and while his match at Court Philippe Chatrier showed some improvement, he acknowledged the need for further refinement as he aims to secure a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title.

“Grand Slams are the ones that are basically getting me up from the bed every day. Knowing that I have to hit the practice courts, I always think about what I can do in Grand Slams,” he said. “So here I am. Hopefully I can have another deep run.”

Djokovic, a three-time French Open champion, must reach the final to maintain his No. 1 ranking. However, he entered the tournament without a final appearance in any event this year. His overall record improved to 15-6 after this match, but he has lost all three semifinals he has reached, including a defeat at the Geneva Open last week.

Djokovic described his mindset heading into the French Open as “Low expectations and high hopes,” adding, “Anything but a title, for me, is not satisfactory.”

“In the moments when it mattered, I think I delivered. Played a great tiebreak. Stayed focused,” Djokovic said. “I'm glad that I started the way I started, the way I felt on the court. Comparing to the previous weeks of tournaments I played, I felt good. Better. So I'm moving in a positive direction. Yeah, it's just the beginning.”

Herbert, ranked 142nd, challenged Djokovic, receiving vocal support from the home crowd. They cheered Herbert and even jeered Djokovic late in the third set when he toweled off after slipping and stumbling on the clay.

A day after witnessing Rafael Nadal's first-round loss to Alexander Zverev, Djokovic played in chilly conditions, showing signs of frustration after errors. Despite this, he managed to win, although Herbert's performance kept the match competitive, evidenced by Herbert's 37 winners compared to Djokovic's 29.

Djokovic's highlight was a sliding backhand winner that earned him a match point, sealed by Herbert's double-fault.

The victory extended Djokovic's record in opening matches at Grand Slams to 69-0 since his career started with a 3-2 mark in first-rounders. His next opponent will be the 63rd-ranked Roberto Carballés Baena from Spain.

On Tuesday, other notable winners included Casper Ruud, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina. Ruud, last year's French Open finalist, defeated Felipe Meligeni Alves 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. Sabalenka, the two-time Australian Open champion, beat Erika Andreeva 6-1, 6-2, while 2022 Wimbledon winner Rybakina triumphed over Greet Minnen 6-2, 6-3.

Sabalenka aims to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2015 to win the Australian Open and French Open in the same year, striving for a calendar-year Grand Slam.

“I'm just trying to separate myself from all those facts,” Sabalenka said. “I mean, I know that if I'll be able to focus on myself and I'll be able to fight for every point and try to find a solution in each game, I will be able to win these big tournaments. But I just try to take it step-by-step.”

Rain delays affected play on most courts, but the two principal courts with retractable roofs ensured matches continued.