Paris, May 28: Novak Djokovic experienced the lowest of lows – pulling out of the French Open after tearing the meniscus in his right knee – and the highest of highs – winning a long-sought Olympic gold medal for Serbia – at Roland-Garros last year. This trip to the site went smoothly, once he got going.
Other than some first-set interruptions by, and lengthy discussions about, the windy, wet weather, the 24-time major champion was unbothered during a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 victory over 98th-ranked Mackie McDonald of the United States at Court Philippe-Chatrier in the first round.
“He makes it seem like a video game, almost, for him,” said McDonald, a 30-year-old Californian who played college tennis at UCLA and twice has been to the fourth round at Grand Slam tournaments. “He’s able to just do so much. I don’t even think he was playing his best tennis or his highest level. But if I pushed him to a different point, he would bring it up.”
One example: When McDonald earned his first break points, getting to love-40 at 3-2 in the second set, Djokovic came up with three big serves, a 120 mph (193 kph) ace, a 123 mph (199 kph) ace and a 122 mph (197 kph) service winner.
Djokovic compiled 32 winners – 18 more than McDonald – and just 20 unforced errors in a match that eventually was played with the lights on and the retractable roof closed.
“I’m a competitor, and losing stings,” McDonald said, “but playing Novak on that court is something I’ll remember.” Before Djokovic, who just turned 38 and won his 100th career title last weekend, walked onto the playing surface, he was identified by the stadium announcer by his total number of Slam trophies, the three he’s won at the French Open, and the Summer Games gold he won “here in Paris.”
“I still remember last year’s Olympic Games. It was the last time I was here,” Djokovic said afterward. “The emotion is very strong.”
The medal that means so much to him?
“I don’t have the medal with me. But I have a picture of the medal in my bag,” he said. “The medal is with my father. My dad likes trophies more than I do, so I gave him mine.”
Other results
Once Coco Gauff found her rackets – a relatively important piece of equipment for a tennis player – all was well for her in the first round. Gauff showed up on court, opened her bag and peered inside to find it was missing her rackets. The start of the warmup was delayed, but then everything went Gauff’s way, and the 2023 US Open champion got past Olivia Gadecki 6-2, 6-2.
Unseeded American Alycia Parks, ranked 52nd in the world, beat No. 14 seed Karolina Muchova 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 in the women’s last match of the day. Muchova was the runner-up to Iga Swiatek at Roland-Garros in 2023.
Other winners included the No. 3 seeds, Jessica Pegula and Alexander Zverev, and 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, but 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, who was seeded 11th, lost to Cam Norrie 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5 across nearly four hours.
Other seeded men were sent home when 18-year-old João Fonseca dispatched No. 30 Hubert Hurkacz 6-2, 6-4, 6-2, and when No. 16 Grigor Dimitrov quit while leading American qualifier Ethan Quinn two sets to one. This is the fourth consecutive major tournament at which Dimitrov retired.
Monfils advances
Frenchman Gael Monfils rallied from two sets down and beat Hugo Dellien of Bolivia 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4) 6-1, in a match that lasted more than three hours.
Monfils was injured on the fifth point of the match when he fell and crashed into a side billboard. The 38-year-old Monfils was moving to his right as he returned a shot into the net. He scraped his hands trying to break his fall and required a few minutes of medical treatment before play resumed.
Monfils, ranked 42nd in the world and with a history of right knee and leg injuries, was a point away from breaking the 90th-ranked Dellien’s serve and ended up losing the game and going behind 3-0 in the first set.
After dropping the second set, Monfils battled back and, helped by a 19-2 advantage in aces, advanced to the second round.
Bollipalli-Barrientos exit
Rithvik Bollipalli’s search for his maiden win in a Grand Slam main draw continued as the Indian and his Colombian partner Nicolas Barrientos suffered a tame straight set defeat in the French Open men’s doubles opening round, here Wednesday.
Canada’s Gabriel Diallo and Briton Jacob Fearnley, who knocked out Stanislas Wawrinka in the singles on Monday, dominated the contest, winning 6-0, 6-2 in just 56 minutes at Court 8.
Bollipalli and Barrientos, who won the ATP 250 Chile Open in March, struggled to serve well and make returns, gifting away easy points to their rivals. Often the Indo-Colombian combo left the gap on the court for their rivals to exploit.
Musetti in third round
Italian star Lorenzo Musetti continued to thrive at the French Open, racing into the men’s singles third round with a straight-sets victory over Daniel Elahi Galan of Colombia on Wednesday.
The eighth seed on Wednesday raced past Elahi Galan 6-4, 6-0, 6-4 to reach the third round at the clay court major, sending out a strong statement to his rivals at Roland Garros.
Musetti converted six of 12 break points he earned, according to Infosys Stats, to wrap a two-hour, six-minute triumph. (Agencies)
