Djokovic remembers what it is to suffer and emerges alive from Perricard's bombardment
The Serbian made his debut at Roland Garros with a hard-fought victory, after facing a Perricard who declined after experiencing discomfort in his arm.
Novak Djokovic did not have the desired and expected debut. Far from an easy victory to continue building momentum, he had to push his machinery to the limit for some moments after the challenge presented by Giovanni Mpesthi Perricard. However, the Frenchman went overboard and his ambition pushed him beyond his limits. He got injured, and Djokovic did not forgive (5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4). And although he sweated, he already knows that the journey to the 25th Grand Slam at Roland Garros will not be easy.
It was the match of the day at Philippe Chatrier. The three-time Roland Garros champion and winner of 24 Grand Slams, in one of his last chances to lift the coveted 25th 'Major,' on one side. The latest promise of French tennis, still a great gem to be polished, seeking a memorable victory in front of his people. Djokovic - Perricard, and meanwhile, PuntodeBreak present at the last match of the day at the Central Court.
After all he has achieved in over 20 years as a professional tennis player, Djokovic doesn't need to prove anything to anyone, and yet, he continues to fight against all odds, against his age, 39 years old, and against time that shows no mercy to anyone. But the Belgrade native and his innate hunger smelled blood before arriving in Paris upon learning of Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawal. An absence and too tempting an opportunity not to attempt the assault at this Roland Garros.
Although it is true that his preparation before the appointment in Bois de Bologne had been minimal: one match on clay and a defeat. The unique situation, without the Spaniard and with Jannik Sinner as the only threat, required an attempt. However, his first opponent did not help in that task.
This was Novak Djokovic's hard-earned victory against Giovanni Mpesthi Perricard in his debut at Roland Garros 2026
Mpesthi-Perricard still lacks endurance in the rallies and rushes too much on more than one occasion, but if his serve goes in, he has a lot won. That's what happened in the early games of the match. There wasn't much story. Each held their serve, and when there was a bit of exchange, it usually ended on the Balkan side. But the set reached a decisive moment, and Djokovic was getting tangled.
So much so that at 5-5, the Frenchman, increasingly encouraged by the crowd, in his fourth attempt, connected a parallel forehand that made the Philippe Chatrier roar, then closed out the first set (7-5), setting off alarms for the Serbian and fueling the hopes of the Frenchman.
Djokovic rolled up his sleeves to tackle a complicating situation
The situation did not change at the start of the second set until something clicked in Djokovic's game, especially in the return, as he began to respond to the Frenchman's missiles. Nole had two break points to take a lead, but he didn’t convert them. The scare had already been given, and in the next return game, he had up to six break opportunities, which he couldn't convert due to Perricard's great first and saving serve. The Frenchman didn't flinch, knowing that the night could become historic.
The tiebreak was looming, and Djokovic, a seasoned veteran, didn’t want to get into a huge mess, so he didn't hesitate. He gave it his all in the last return before the tiebreak, and aided by two errors from Perricard, he closed out the second set (7-5), halting the hemorrhage of a match that was becoming too dangerous.
Novak Djokovic hits cruise control 🚢#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/Tk2Itl1dUD
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 24, 2026
Perricard paid dearly for his audacity
That second set, in reality, was the decisive one because it sealed the match. Suddenly, Perricard ran out of steam, and his shoulder gave in. Those service bombardments ended up hurting him, and that's how the match ended. Djokovic took the third set with a resounding 6-1. And the fourth, despite the resistance of the young Frenchman, followed the same script (5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4).
Djokovic escapes alive in his first challenge in Paris. He suffered more than usual and even had moments where a possible elimination began to take shape. But that same Novak Djokovic is capable of enduring the worst moments. He doesn't start Roland Garros by overpowering but by enduring. And perhaps, sometimes, that is the best possible start in a Grand Slam.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic recuerda lo que es sufrir y sale vivo del bombardeo de Perricard