Novak Djokovic takes on home favorite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round of the French Open. The Serb will hope that his injury troubles are finally behind him as he chases a record 25th Grand Slam title. Mpetshi Perricard has also struggled with injuries this year, but will look to spring a surprise on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday.
Novak Djokovic vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard Match Details
Date: May 24, 2026
Tournament: French Open 2026
Round: First Round (Round of 128)
Venue: Roland Garros Stadium, Paris, France
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: Grand Slam
Live Telecast: HBO Max, TNT, TSN
Djokovic vs Mpetshi Perricard Head-to-Head Record
This will be the first meeting between Djokovic and Mpetshi Perricard on the ATP Tour. The 39-year-old arrives in Paris after a shock second-round loss to Dino Prižmić in Rome. He has been struggling with a shoulder injury, which forced him to miss the majority of the clay-court season.
However, Djokovic is a different beast at Grand Slams. He is a three-time French Open winner and showed that he still has plenty left in the tank with a run to the final at this year’s Australian Open.
Mpetshi Perricard’s progress has also been affected by injuries this year. The 22-year-old holds a 6-10 win-loss record for 2026. He goes into the French Open with quarterfinal runs in Brisbane and Auckland his best results.
The Frenchman has 2 wins over top-10 players to his name, and he certainly has the potential to make a big splash on home soil.
Djokovic vs Mpetshi Perricard Prediction and Pick
Mpetshi Perricard will hope to draw inspiration from Prižmić’s impressive win over Djokovic at the Italian Open, but he hasn’t had much clay-court preparation for the French Open. He played 2 matches at the Italian Open, 3 at a Challenger event in Bordeaux, and 1 in Geneva for an overall 3-3 win-loss record on the red dirt this year.
A lot will depend on how comfortable Mpetshi Perricard feels on his serve. That is his biggest weapon, and he can fire aces for fun when he is on song.
But defeating Djokovic will take a lot more than just a strong service game. Despite his recent struggles, the Serb remains one of the most consistent players on the ATP Tour and will fancy his chances of overcoming this battle with relative ease.
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Djokovic will view the French Open as a great opportunity to end his wait for a 25th Grand Slam, and he will be eager to start things off on a high note. We are backing him to prevail in this first-round contest.
Pick – Djokovic in straight sets.
