Paris, May 25 -- Novak Djokovic danced on the baseline after booking his place in the French Open second round, but his jovial celebration was in stark contrast to the frustrated figure who had to fight from a set down to beat world number 83 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
The third seed, who turned 39 on Friday, has been selective with his schedule in recent seasons as he attempts to protect his fitness while pursuing a record 25th Grand Slam single title - but arrived in Paris having played just 11 singles matches in 2026.
His only outing on clay was a three-set defeat by Dino Prizmic at the Rome Masters and his lack of match sharpness was noticeable throughout his first-round tie as he struggled to read the 6ft 7in Frenchman's serve and f...