Djokovic makes winning start to French Open bid
French Open 2025
Dates: 25 May-8 June Venue: Roland Garros
Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app
Novak Djokovic began his latest bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title with a commanding win over Mackenzie McDonald.
The former world number one ended his wait for a 100th ATP singles title in Geneva last week and maintained his recent upturn in form with a 6-3 6-3 win over the 98th-ranked American.
Djokovic - who turned 38 last week - has now won all 21 of the first-round matches he has played at Roland Garros.
Sixth seed Djokovic will next play the winner of the all-French match between Corentin Moutet and Clement Tabur.
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Djokovic arrived in Geneva without a win on clay in 2025, having suffered first-round exits in both Monte Carlo and Madrid.
But with his wait for a 100th Tour-level title finally over - one which had gone on since he completed the career 'Golden Slam' at the Paris Olympics last summer - the Serb will feel he is beginning to gain real momentum on this surface.
The one-sided victory over McDonald, completed two minutes short of the two-hour mark, was his fifth successive win following a run of three straight losses.
After that unfamiliar slump in results, Djokovic took the decision to end his six-month partnership with coach and former rival Andy Murray, who he said joked this week that he was winning tournaments now he had "a proper coach".
Djokovic faces a tough route to the trophy. He is projected to meet third seed Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals, world number one Jannik Sinner in the last four and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final.
But it is ultimately that pursuit which continues to drive him on in the twilight of his career, with one last record - surpassing Margaret Court for the outright number of Grand Slam singles title - still left to break.
Djokovic lost serve just once in the entire match and hit 32 winners compared to just 20 unforced errors.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Germany's Zverev beat American Learner Tien 6-3 6-3 6-4.
Britain's Cameron Norrie could face Djokovic in the fourth round after stunning Russian 11th seed Daniil Medvedev 7-5 6-3 4-6 1-6 7-5.
Australian ninth seed Alex De Minaur was another winner, beating Serb Laslo Djere 6-3 6-4 7-6 (8-6).
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