Novak Djokovic improved to 20-0 in first-round matches at the French Open with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win Tuesday over Mackenzie McDonald in Paris.
The sixth-seeded Serbian, coming off his 100th ATP Tour title last weekend at the Geneva Open, has not lost a set in the first round at Roland Garros since 2010.
Djokovic finished the match in just under two hours with seven aces, 32 winners and 20 unforced errors. He saved four of five break points against the American, who racked up twice as many unforced errors (28) as winners (14).
“I try to enjoy every moment on this very special and beautiful court,” Djokovic, 38, said in French in his on-court interview. “I feel good, clearly, even more here because I’m reliving the memories of last year’s Olympics, the last time I played on this court. (They are) beautiful emotions.
“It was a solid match. I know that (McDonald) can play to a better standard than today, but I am very happy with what I produced.”
Djokovic is seeking his fourth French Open crown (2016, 2021, 2023) and his 25th Grand Slam title, which would break the record for men and women he currently shares with Margaret Court.
“History in this sport has given me everything in my life, it means a lot to me,” Djokovic said. “I always try to make history where I can. … In all the tournaments I play, all the practices, all the matches, and especially during the biggest tournaments in the world. There is an opportunity to make more history, and that is one of the biggest motivations I have for competitions, for continuing to work and better myself.”
Djokovic’s second-round opponent will be Corentin Moutet, who notched a 6-3, 7-6 (6), 6-3 victory over fellow Frenchman Clement Tabur.
No. 3 seed and 2024 finalist Alexander Zverev of Germany also advanced in straight sets with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over 19-year-old American Learner Tien. No. 5 Jack Draper of Great Britain dropped the first set before downing Italy’s Mattia Bellucci 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. No. 9 Alex de Minaur of Australia eliminated Serbia’s Laslo Djere 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (6). No. 17 Andrey Rublev of Russia defeated South African Lloyd Harris 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. No. 19 Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic held off Frenchman Alexandre Muller 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-3.
Not as fortunate were No. 11 seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia or No. 16 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria. Britain’s Cameron Norrie outlasted Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5, while Dimitrov was forced to retire with a thigh injury after taking two of the first three sets from American qualifier Ethan Quinn. It was the fourth straight Grand Slam event in which Dimitrov retired from a match.
Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi recovered from down two sets to beat No. 29 Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Brazil’s Joao Fonseca, 18, upset No. 30 Hubert Hurkacz of Poland 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.
Ben Shelton, the 13th-seeded American, reached the third round by walkover against France’s Hugo Gaston, who withdrew from their scheduled Wednesday match because of an abdominal injury.
Also advancing were Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik and Alexander Shevchenko, Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, Dutchman Jesper de Jong, Argentina’s Federico Agustin Gomez, France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Australia’s Adam Walton and Portugal’s Henrique Rocha.
The final match of the day saw Frenchman Gael Monfils outlast Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-1. Monfils took a spill into court signage during the fifth point of the match but rallied to win the three-hour, 36-minute marathon.
–Field Level Media
