French Open 2025: Novak Djokovic is
bothered by the weather more than anything in 1st-round win
[May 28, 2025]
By HOWARD FENDRICH
PARIS (AP) — 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.”
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What else happened at the French Open on
Tuesday?
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 U.S.
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 U.S. 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.
Frenchman Gael 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.
Who is playing at Roland-Garros on Wednesday?
The second round begins on Day 4, with a schedule that includes
defending champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz, 2024 runner-up
Jasmine Paolini and two-time finalist Casper Ruud. Swiatek meets
2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu in the day session's last
match in the main stadium.
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