PARIS — At the age of 39, Novak Djokovic continues to demonstrate his unmatched ability to exhaust his adversaries.
Even those who are almost two decades younger — amidst a fervent home crowd.
In a thrilling first-round match at the French Open on Sunday, Djokovic rallied from a set down to secure a 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 win against 22-year-old French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, marking his impressive 82nd Grand Slam appearance.
With each grunt echoing during extended rallies, Djokovic dug deep on the first night of competition at Court Philippe-Chatrier. After a tense hour and 45 minutes, he finally broke the serve of his towering opponent, leveling the match.
The crowd buzzed with anticipation for an upset, as Djokovic hadn’t faced a first-round exit at a Grand Slam in 20 years. However, after two hard-fought sets, Mpetshi Perricard seemed to run out of steam.
Conversely, Djokovic appeared to hit his stride, just two matches into his clay season. Earlier, he experienced a setback against Croatian qualifier Dino Prižmić at the Italian Open, following a two-month recovery from a right shoulder issue.
Celebrating just two days after his 39th birthday, Djokovic set the men’s record for Grand Slam appearances, surpassing Roger Federer and Feliciano Lopez. He boasts an astounding 24 titles across those 82 tournaments.
Also, he matched French tennis legends Richard Gasquet and Antoine Gentian with a remarkable 22nd Roland Garros appearance, having reached the quarterfinals or better in 19 of the last 20 competitions and lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires in 2016, 2021, and 2023.
Ranked 80th, Mpetshi Perricard enjoyed considerable home support, inspiring chants of “Gio-vanni, Gio-vanni, Gio-vanni” as he delivered a stunning forehand winner during a pivotal game at 5-5 in the opening set. He clinched the set with two consecutive aces, one reaching a staggering 223 km/h (139 m.p.h.).
After nine unsuccessful break-point attempts, Djokovic finally seized his opportunity with a clever drop shot, prompting him to taunt the enthusiastic crowd.
Latter in the fourth set, after executing a delicate half-volley winner, Djokovic bounced back to his baseline, visibly elated. Once the match concluded, he celebrated with a joyful dance on the court.
Despite having a less frequent playing schedule, Djokovic’s recent performances remind us of his prowess; he reached the Australian Open final this year, where he fell to Carlos Alcaraz, and has made it to the semifinals or better in five consecutive Grand Slams.
Now with two-time reigning French Open champion Alcaraz sidelined with a wrist injury, Djokovic eyes a favorable opportunity in the lower half of the draw, where he’d potentially face top seed Jannik Sinner, currently on a 29-match winning streak, only in the finals.
Alongside 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka—who is competing in his last French Open—Djokovic stands as the lone former men’s singles champion in the Paris tournament.
On Sunday, Djokovic wasn’t the only seasoned player celebrating a victory at Roland Garros.
Marco Trungelliti, at 36 years old, recently made history as the oldest player in the professional era to break into the top 100 of the rankings, defeating Kyrian Jacquet 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
“I feel that there is still much to achieve in my tennis career,” Trungelliti stated. “I’m hitting my peak at 36.”
He credits his late bloom to the challenges he faced after speaking out against match-fixing in tennis, enduring a form of exile from the sport.
“It really hurt me back then,” Trungelliti admitted, continuing to live in exile in Andorra and feeling uneasy about returning to Argentina. “I was naive, expecting support from the system, only to find the opposite.”
“Unfortunately, the institutions failed me then and continue to do so today,” he added confidently. “I’ve built a strong spine in my heart, and it will remain there forever.”
Sorana Cirstea, another 36-year-old making headlines, recently became the oldest player to debut in the top 20, defeating 17-year-old Ksenia Efremova 6-3, 6-1.
And on Monday, 41-year-old Wawrinka will face Jesper De Jong in his final Roland Garros before hanging up his racquet at the end of the year.
