PARIS — At 39 years old, Novak Djokovic can still wear his opponents down.
Even if it’s someone half your age, in front of a hostile audience.
The veteran came back from a set down to beat 22-year-old home player Giovanni Mpesi Pellicar 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 in the first round of the French Open on Sunday, making it Djokovic’s record 82nd Grand Slam appearance.
“Obviously it’s not easy to play against a French player on Center Court at Roland Garros. The crowd is so excited there, it adds to the pressure,” Djokovic said after the 2 hour 51 minute match. “But overall, it was a good fight to be in. It was the three hours that the doctor ordered at 39 years old.”
Groaning during long rallies and digging deep during the opening night session on Court Philippe Chatrier, it took an hour and 45 minutes for Djokovic to finally find a way to overcome his 6-foot-7 opponent and bring the match to a set-all.
The crowd was buzzing for a potential wonder – after all, Djokovic hadn’t lost in the first round of a Grand Slam in 20 years. But after two tense sets, Mpesi Perikado seemed to be running out of energy.
Meanwhile, Djokovic had just finished warming up for his second match on clay this year. In his other ground match this season, Djokovic lost to qualifier Dino Prišmic of Croatia at the Italian Open after two months out with a right shoulder injury.
Just two days after his 39th birthday, Djokovic set the record for most Grand Slam appearances by a man – one ahead of Roger Federer and Feliciano López. Djokovic has won 24 of 82 Grand Slam tournaments.
Djokovic also tied French players Richard Gasquet and Antoine Gentien for the record for men’s appearances at Roland Garros, his 22nd. They have reached at least the quarter-finals in 19 of the past 20 and lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires in 2016, 2021 and 2023.
World No. 80 Mpesi Pellicard had a lot of cheering from the crowd, and fans chanted “Gio Vanni, Gio Vanni, Gio Vanni” when he ended a long rally with a forehand winner on his fourth break point during a tense 5-5 first set. Mpesi Pellikar then finished the set with back-to-back aces. The first ace was 223 km/h (139 mph).
After the match, Djokovic said that Mpesi Pellikar, who he faced for the first time, was “one of the most incredible serves I’ve ever faced in my career in terms of precision and speed.”
Djokovic didn’t have a break point until his 10th try and closed out the second set with a drop shot that Mpesi Pericad couldn’t recover. Djokovic then put his hands over his ears and mocked the pro-French crowd.
After pulling off a delicate half-volley winner late in the fourth set, Djokovic returned to the baseline, clearly overjoyed. At the end of the match, Djokovic performed a celebratory wiggle on the baseline.
With two-time French Open champion Alcaraz missing Roland Garros and Wimbledon with a right wrist injury, Djokovic believes he has a chance in the bottom half of the draw.
Djokovic is the only former men’s singles champion to compete in Paris, along with 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka, who will play in his final French Open.
Djokovic wasn’t the only older player in the win column at Roland Garros on Sunday.
Marco Trungeliti, who at 36 years old recently became the oldest professional player (since 1969) to break into the top 100, defeated Kylian Jaquet 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
“I feel like I still have a lot of work to do when it comes to tennis,” Turangetti said. “I’m reaching my peak at 36.”
Mr Turanghetti, who became a whistleblower against match-fixing in tennis several years ago, said his slow development was partially attributable to his banishment from the tennis tour.
“It really hurt me,” said Turanghetti, who still lives in exile in Andorra and is nervous about returning to Argentina. “I was very naive in the sense that I was hoping the system would help me a little bit, but it was quite the opposite.
“All the institutions never existed, and they still don’t exist,” Turanghetti added. “I have a spine in my heart and it will be there forever.”
Sorana Cirstea, also 36, became the oldest player to debut in the top 20 this week, defeating 17-year-old Ksenia Efremova 6-3, 6-1.
And on Monday, the 41-year-old Wawrinka will face Jesper de Jong in his final Roland Garros before retiring at the end of the year.
