Novak Djokovic began his chase for a record 25th Grand Slam title with a commanding 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Mackenzie McDonald, wrapping up the match in under two hours at Roland Garros. Fresh from lifting his 100th tour trophy in Geneva, the Serb sixth seed showed few signs of rust despite a brief hiccup serving for the second set at 5-2.
“I don’t know how many more Grand Slams I’ve got left in my body,” Djokovic admitted after the win. “I’m just trying to enjoy every moment in this magnificent stadium.” Next up for the three-time champion is a second-round showdown with France’s Corentin Moutet.
In one of the day’s biggest surprises, British No. 23 Cam Norrie ousted 11th seed Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5 after nearly four hours of battling. Medvedev’s exit marks his sixth first-round loss in nine appearances at the French Open, underscoring his ongoing clay-court challenges.
German third seed Alexander Zverev booked his place in round two with a straight-sets win over American qualifier Learner Tien, while 18-year-old Joao Fonseca stunned 30th seed Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets. Meanwhile, Grigor Dimitrov retired leading qualifier Ethan Quinn two sets to one—his fourth consecutive Grand Slam withdrawal.
Other notable results saw Britain’s Jack Draper earn his maiden main-draw win in Paris with a four-set rally over Italy’s Mattia Bellucci, and Australia’s Alex de Minaur start strongly with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 victory against Serbia’s Laslo Djere. As the field narrows, the mix of hardened champions and rising talents sets the stage for a thrilling second round at Roland Garros.
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Djokovic cruises into French Open 2nd round, Norrie upsets Medvedev
cgtn.com
