Novak Djokovic begins French Open title defence with a strong win after series of straight losses

Novak Djokovic had a thrilling win over American Mackenzie McDonald in his first-round match at the French Open. This marks a strong start to his journey towards achieving a historic 25th Grand Slam singles title.

The athlete, who won his 100th ATP singles title in Geneva recently, was confident and took control of the match before securing the victory with a final scoreline of 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. This achievement marks his improvements and a favourable step towards his goal at the Roland-Garros. He will now play against French player Corentin Moutet in the next round, after Moutet defeated his countryman Clément Tabur in straight sets.

Djokovic’s season performance so far 

Djokovic competed at the Geneva tournament without a single clay-court win in 2025. He suffered early exits both in Monte Carlo and Madrid. The athlete also decided to end his six-month coaching partnership with former rival Andy Murray before the start of the French Open. 

However, he won his 100th career Tour-level title in Geneva, a success that he has been working hard for since claiming the career ‘Golden Slam’ at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This milestone has given the Serbian the boost and confidence to continue reaching for his Grand Slam goals, especially on the clay surface.

His win over Mackenzie McDonald took just under two hours, and this marked his fifth straight victory after having three consecutive losses in his previous matches. 

Djokovic admitted that his last-minute decision to participate in Geneva was a right one, saying, “I think it was a good move, to be honest, because I was struggling a little bit with [my] confidence level, doubting my game a bit… It was good that I got four matches under my belt, won a title.” 

He added, “Coming into Roland Garros, it feels different than compared to the feeling I had three weeks ago… Let’s see how far I can go, but I have a good feeling for now.”

In the quarter-finals, Djokovic might play against Alexander Zverev. If he continues to move forward, he could face World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals. He might also play against Carlos Alcaraz, last year’s champion, in the final. 

In a social media post, Djokovic shared his victory with the caption, “Oui go again. 🇫🇷”

Netizens poured support in the comment section. One said,”Not gonna lie, I only watch tennis to watch Novak 😅”, while another remarked, “Oui will root for you from far away🔥❤️” “The French Open will be yours 🏆🔥” another chimed in.