Djokovic targets record 25th major as Alcaraz opens door at Roland Garros
With double-defending champion Carlos Alcaraz sidelined by injury, the 39-year-old enters as a leading contender despite limited recent clay-court preparation.
Novak Djokovic is set to headline the opening day of the French Open on Sunday, beginning his campaign for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. The 39-year-old Serb, who has previously won Roland Garros three times, will face France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the night session on Stade Philippe Chatrier. With double-defending champion Carlos Alcaraz absent due to injury, Djokovic enters the tournament as a leading contender, viewing this as a significant opportunity to extend his legacy.
Djokovic’s recent physical preparation has been focused on adapting his game for best-of-five-set matches following a return from a shoulder issue. He acknowledged to reporters that while he has dedicated significant time to perfecting his physical readiness, uncertainty remains regarding his stamina for the duration of the tournament. The third-seeded player noted that Grand Slams remain his priority, stating he is eager to begin competing despite limited match practice on clay.
His preparation was constrained by an elimination in the opening match of the Italian Open earlier this month. Despite this reduced participation in ATP tournaments, Djokovic has reached at least the semi-finals at each of the past five majors. His first-round opponent, Mpetshi Perricard, is ranked 29th in the world and is known for possessing one of the biggest serves on the tour, adding complexity to Djokovic’s task on the home-favoured centre court.
Other notable fixtures on the opening day include second seed Alexander Zverev against Benjamin Bonzi, and Russia’s Mirra Andreeva against French wildcard Fiona Ferro. Andreeva, the eighth seed, drew parallels to her experience from last year’s quarter-finals, where she received a warning for hitting a ball into the crowd, noting the expected support for her French opponent.
The tournament also features Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic against Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus, and former champions Sofia Kenin, Barbora Krejcikova, and Emma Raducanu. In the junior-to-senior transition, Lilli Tagger, the 2025 junior champion, makes her senior draw debut on court nine against Chinese 32nd seed Wang Xinyu.
