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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Lorenzo Musetti swings past Holger Rune into French Open quarter-finals
Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in action during his fourth round match against Denmark's Holger Rune at the French Open. PHOTO: REUTERS PARIS - Lorenzo Musetti's impressive claycourt season rolled on in style on June 1 when the Italian craftsman downed the talented yet erratic Holger Rune 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the French Open quarter-finals for the first time. World No. 7 Musetti, who will take on American 15th seed Frances Tiafoe for a place in the last four, adjusted to the Dane's shift to a swashbuckling approach to keep his title hopes alive in a year that has seen him steady his game. For the 10th-seeded Rune, it was yet another failure against a member of the top 10 at a Grand Slam as he was denied a third quarter-final appearance at Roland Garros. "Last night I was dreaming of this match against Holger and I was playing at that level. I need to be very good, and I am really proud of myself tonight," said Musetti. Musetti, who said he has put some order in his game, arrived in Paris having reached at least the semi-finals in all three Masters events this season on clay. He did not disappoint on the Philippe Chatrier court, delighting the crowd with a handful of exquisite shots, notably from his impressive single-handed backhand. "I complain less now, I'm more steady," he said. The 23-year-old made a fast start, breaking in the opening game with a forehand winner before consolidating for a 2-0 lead. The Italian, who came into the match boasting an 11-0 Grand Slam record against players ranked outside the top five, looked sharp early, forcing a break point in the third game before netting a forehand that allowed Rune to steady himself and hold. COMPOSED The opening set remained scrappy, with both players trading breaks as unforced errors piled up on Rune's side of the court. Musetti kept his nose in front, capitalising on Rune's inconsistency to take the first set, with the momentum hinging on whether the Dane could tighten his game. Rune responded well in the second set, adopting a more aggressive approach by charging the net to disrupt Musetti's rhythm. The tactic paid off as the 22-year-old secured a vital break and maintained his composure, sealing the set with a powerful smash to level the match. Errors crept back into Rune's game in the fourth set, allowing Musetti to surge ahead 2-0 as the Italian kept his game tight and composed. Having adjusted to Rune's frequent forays to the net, Musetti began to find his range with a series of precise backhand passing shots. He carved out two break points in the opening game of the third set and converted with a blistering forehand winner, seizing full control of the contest. It was virtually game over when Rune dropped serve again in the fifth game, sending a forehand wide when he had an open court. Musetti wrapped it up on serve with an ace for his first win against Rune in three encounters. Addressing his army of fans in Italian, he said: "To all the Italians who are here in Paris, obviously you've stayed deep into the night, your support was fundamental, it helped me push my limits." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
8 hours ago
- CNA
Musetti swings past Rune into French Open quarter-finals
PARIS :Lorenzo Musetti's impressive claycourt season rolled on in style on Sunday when the Italian craftsman downed the talented yet erratic Holger Rune 7-5 3-6 6-3 6-2 to reach the French Open quarter-finals for the first time. World number seven Musetti, who will take on American 15th seed Frances Tiafoe for a place in the last four, adjusted to the Dane's shift to a swashbuckling approach to keep his title hopes alive in a year that has seen him steady his game. For the 10th-seeded Rune, it was yet another failure against a member of the top 10 at a Grand Slam as he was denied a third quarter-final appearance at Roland Garros. "Last night I was dreaming of this match against Holger and I was playing at that level. I need to be very good, and I am really proud of myself tonight," said Musetti. Musetti, who said he has put some order in his game, arrived in Paris having reached at least the semi-finals in all three Masters events this season on clay. He did not disappoint on the Philippe Chatrier court, delighting the crowd with a handful of exquisite shots, notably from his impressive single-handed backhand. "I complain less now, I'm more steady," he said. The 23-year-old made a fast start, breaking in the opening game with a forehand winner before consolidating for a 2-0 lead. The Italian, who came into the match boasting an 11-0 Grand Slam record against players ranked outside the top five, looked sharp early, forcing a break point in the third game before netting a forehand that allowed Rune to steady himself and hold. COMPOSED The opening set remained scrappy, with both players trading breaks as unforced errors piled up on Rune's side of the court. Musetti kept his nose in front, capitalising on Rune's inconsistency to take the first set, with the momentum hinging on whether the Dane could tighten his game. Rune responded well in the second set, adopting a more aggressive approach by charging the net to disrupt Musetti's rhythm. The tactic paid off as the 22-year-old secured a vital break and maintained his composure, sealing the set with a powerful smash to level the match. Errors crept back into Rune's game in the fourth set, allowing Musetti to surge ahead 2-0 as the Italian kept his game tight and composed. Having adjusted to Rune's frequent forays to the net, Musetti began to find his range with a series of precise backhand passing shots. He carved out two break points in the opening game of the third set and converted with a blistering forehand winner, seizing full control of the contest. It was virtually game over when Rune dropped serve again in the fifth game, sending a forehand wide when he had an open court. Musetti wrapped it up on serve with an ace for his first win against Rune in three encounters. Addressing his army of fans in Italian, he said: "To all the Italians who are here in Paris, obviously you've stayed deep into the night, your support was fundamental, it helped me push my limits."
Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Straits Times
Musetti swings past Rune into French Open quarter-finals
PARIS - Lorenzo Musetti's impressive claycourt season rolled on in style on Sunday when the Italian craftsman downed the talented yet erratic Holger Rune 7-5 3-6 6-3 6-2 to reach the French Open quarter-finals for the first time. World number seven Musetti, who will take on American 15th seed Frances Tiafoe for a place in the last four, adjusted to the Dane's shift to a swashbuckling approach to keep his title hopes alive in a year that has seen him steady his game. For the 10th-seeded Rune, it was yet another failure against a member of the top 10 at a Grand Slam as he was denied a third quarter-final appearance at Roland Garros. "Last night I was dreaming of this match against Holger and I was playing at that level. I need to be very good, and I am really proud of myself tonight," said Musetti. Musetti, who said he has put some order in his game, arrived in Paris having reached at least the semi-finals in all three Masters events this season on clay. He did not disappoint on the Philippe Chatrier court, delighting the crowd with a handful of exquisite shots, notably from his impressive single-handed backhand. "I complain less now, I'm more steady," he said. The 23-year-old made a fast start, breaking in the opening game with a forehand winner before consolidating for a 2-0 lead. The Italian, who came into the match boasting an 11-0 Grand Slam record against players ranked outside the top five, looked sharp early, forcing a break point in the third game before netting a forehand that allowed Rune to steady himself and hold. COMPOSED The opening set remained scrappy, with both players trading breaks as unforced errors piled up on Rune's side of the court. Musetti kept his nose in front, capitalising on Rune's inconsistency to take the first set, with the momentum hinging on whether the Dane could tighten his game. Rune responded well in the second set, adopting a more aggressive approach by charging the net to disrupt Musetti's rhythm. The tactic paid off as the 22-year-old secured a vital break and maintained his composure, sealing the set with a powerful smash to level the match. Errors crept back into Rune's game in the fourth set, allowing Musetti to surge ahead 2-0 as the Italian kept his game tight and composed. Having adjusted to Rune's frequent forays to the net, Musetti began to find his range with a series of precise backhand passing shots. He carved out two break points in the opening game of the third set and converted with a blistering forehand winner, seizing full control of the contest. It was virtually game over when Rune dropped serve again in the fifth game, sending a forehand wide when he had an open court. Musetti wrapped it up on serve with an ace for his first win against Rune in three encounters. Addressing his army of fans in Italian, he said: "To all the Italians who are here in Paris, obviously you've stayed deep into the night, your support was fundamental, it helped me push my limits." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
