Djokovic draws Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in French Open first round

Novak Djokovic’s path at the French Open starts with a home player and could quickly turn younger. Roland-Garros placed the 24-time Grand Slam champion against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round when the men’s draw was released on Thursday, with the tournament beginning on May 24 in Paris. ATP Tour and Djokovic’s official website both listed Joao Fonseca as a possible third-round opponent if the Serbian and the Brazilian win their opening matches. Djokovic arrived in Paris after opting not to defend his Geneva title, leaving him with limited clay-court match play before the year’s second major. ### Who is standing across the net from Djokovic first? Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is the French player drawn to face Djokovic in round one at Roland-Garros. Djokovic’s official site said the 39-year-old Serbian, seeded third in Paris, will play Mpetshi Perricard on Sunday and listed the Frenchman at No. 80 in the ATP rankings. (atptour.com) Roland-Garros’ match page also lists Djokovic against Mpetshi Perricard in the first round of the men’s singles draw. The pairing gives Djokovic an opening match against a local opponent at a tournament he has won three times. ### Where does Fonseca appear in Djokovic’s section? Joao Fonseca appears as a projected third-round opponent in Djokovic’s section of the bracket. (novakdjokovic.com) ATP Tour’s draw preview said Djokovic “could face #NextGenATP star Joao Fonseca in the third round,” placing the Brazilian teenager as one of the early names in the Serbian’s path. The same ATP Tour preview said Djokovic is in the same half as Alexander Zverev, the second seed and 2024 finalist. (rolandgarros.com) That means Djokovic’s early rounds include Mpetshi Perricard first and potentially Fonseca before the tournament reaches its later stages. ### Why is Djokovic’s buildup a talking point? Djokovic went to Paris without returning to Geneva, where he was the defending champion. (atptour.com) TennisUpToDate’s Geneva tournament page said he “won’t return” for the 2026 event, and Reuters reported on May 22 that Djokovic was “undercooked on clay” after a limited buildup. After his early Rome exit, Djokovic had already signaled that choice. Tennistonic reported that he said, “I will go directly to Roland Garros. That is my decision,” describing his plan after the Italian Open. ### How does his draw fit into the wider men’s bracket? Jannik Sinner and Djokovic landed in opposite halves of the draw, preserving the possibility of a final between the top seed and the Serbian. (tennisuptodate.com) ATP Tour said Sinner is pursuing a career Grand Slam in Paris, while Djokovic is chasing a 25th major title. Reuters, in a report published on May 22, said Sinner entered Roland-Garros as the leading men’s contender with Carlos Alcaraz out because of a wrist injury. (tennistonic.com) That left Djokovic as one of the established names still in the field, even with the shortened clay preparation. ### When does Djokovic play, and what comes next? (atptour.com) Sunday is the scheduled day for Djokovic’s first-round match against Mpetshi Perricard, according to Djokovic’s official website. Roland-Garros runs from May 24 to June 7 in Paris, and the winner of Djokovic-Mpetshi Perricard will move into the second round with Fonseca still a possible opponent in round three. (novakdjokovic.com) (y94.com)