Novak Djokovic improved to 20-0 in first-round matches on 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 one centesimal ATP Tour title final weekend on the Geneva Open, has not misplaced a set within the first spherical at Roland Garros since 2010.
Djokovic completed the match in slightly below two hours with seven aces, 32 winners and 20 unforced errors. He saved 4 of 5 break factors in opposition to the American, who racked up twice as many unforced errors (28) as winners (14).
“I attempt to get pleasure from each second on this very particular and delightful courtroom,” Djokovic, 38, stated in French in his on-court interview. “I really feel good, clearly, much more right here as a result of I am reliving the reminiscences of final 12 months’s Olympics, the final time I performed on this courtroom. (They’re) stunning feelings.
“It was a stable match. I do know that (McDonald) can play to a greater normal than at the moment, however I’m very pleased with what I produced.”
Djokovic is looking for his fourth French Open crown (2016, 2021, 2023) and his twenty fifth Grand Slam title, which might break the report for women and men he at present shares with Margaret Courtroom.
“Historical past on this sport has given me the whole lot in my life, it means loads to me,” Djokovic stated. “I all the time attempt to make historical past the place I can. … In all of the tournaments I play, all of the practices, all of the matches, and particularly through the largest tournaments on the planet. There is a chance to make extra historical past, and that is among the largest motivations I’ve for competitions, for persevering with to work and higher myself.”
Djokovic’s second-round opponent will likely 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 additionally superior in straight units with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over 19-year-old American Learner Tien. No. 5 Jack Draper of Nice Britain dropped the primary set earlier than downing Italy’s Mattia Bellucci 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. No. 9 Alex de Minaur of Australia eradicated 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 lucky had been 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, whereas Dimitrov was pressured to retire with a thigh damage after taking two of the primary three units from American qualifier Ethan Quinn. It was the fourth straight Grand Slam occasion during which Dimitrov retired from a match.
Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi recovered from down two units 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 Thirteenth-seeded American, reached the third spherical by walkover in opposition to France’s Hugo Gaston, who withdrew from their scheduled Wednesday match due to an stomach damage.
Additionally advancing had been 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 ultimate match of the day noticed Frenchman Gael Monfils outlast Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-1. Monfils took a spill into courtroom signage through the fifth level of the match however rallied to win the three-hour, 36-minute marathon.
–Subject Stage Media/Reuters