Novak Djokovic fought back to win his first round match at Roland Garros against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Djokovic made tennis history after beating Mpetshi Perricard 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4.
Do you feel more or less confident that Novak Djokovic can win Roland Garros after that performance?
This is the first match that the Serbian has won on clay this year, with Djokovic’s fitness a big question mark coming into this year’s tournament.
Although Djokovic has returned to winning ways in Paris, he has seen a 16-year streak come to an end in his first round match at Roland Garros.
Novak Djokovic’s 16-year streak comes to an end at Roland Garros
Djokovic may have come through comfortably in the end against Mpetshi Perricard, but it was actually the first time he had lost a set in his first round match at Roland Garros in 16 years.
The last player to win a set against Djokovic in the first round of Roland Garros was Evgeny Korolev, who did so in a four set defeat in 2010.
Since that match, Djokovic had won 45 consecutive sets in first round matches at Roland Garros, with wins over the likes of Hubert Hurkacz and David Goffin.
| Year | Novak Djokovic’s first round result at Roland Garros |
| 2011 | Beat Thiemo de Bakker, 6-2 6-1 6-3 |
| 2012 | Beat Potito Starace, 7-6(3) 6-1 6-3 |
| 2013 | Beat David Goffin, 7-6(5) 6-4 7-5 |
| 2014 | Beat Joao Sousa, 6-1 6-2 6-4 |
| 2015 | Beat Jarkko Nieminen, 6-2 7-5 6-2 |
| 2016 | Beat Yen-hsun Lu, 6-4 6-1 6-1 |
| 2017 | Beat Marcel Granollers, 6-3 6-4 6-2 |
| 2018 | Beat Mohamed Safwat, 6-1 6-4 7-6(1) |
| 2019 | Beat Hubert Hurkacz, 6-4 6-2 6-2 |
| 2020 | Beat Mikael Ymer, 6-0 6-2 6-3 |
| 2021 | Beat Tennys Sandgren, 6-2 6-4 6-2 |
| 2022 | Beat Yoshihito Nishioka, 6-3 6-1 6-0 |
| 2023 | Beat Aleksandar Kovacevic, 6-3 6-2 7-6(1) |
| 2024 | Beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert, 6-4 7-6(3) 6-4 |
| 2025 | Beat Mackenzie McDonald, 6-3 6-3 6-3 |
| 2026 | Beat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, 5-7 7-5 6-1 6-4 |
Roland Garros is actually Djokovic’s worst-performing major tournament in terms of titles, but his record in first round matches at the other three Grand Slams was nowhere near as dominant.
The last time that Djokovic lost a set in the first round at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon was just last year, while Holger Rune was the last player to win a set against him in the first round of the US Open in 2021.
Who is Novak Djokovic playing in his second round match at Roland Garros?
Regardless of the fact that this streak is now over, Djokovic progresses to the second round of Roland Garros for a 21st consecutive year.
Djokovic will now face another Frenchman in Valentin Royer, who is the current world number 74.
Royer won his first ever main draw match at Roland Garros to set up the clash with Djokovic, after he beat qualifier Hugo Dellien 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
Give us your one wild prediction for Roland Garros!
This will be a first-time meeting between Djokovic and Royer, who reached his first final on the ATP Tour in Hangzhou last year.
Djokovic and Royer’s second round match is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 27.
