PARIS.- As in the first round, the Serbian Novak Djokovic he beat a French tennis player in Roland Garros, needing four sets and therefore giving up one on his way to victory.
This Wednesday, in the second round, he won 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (7/9) and 6-3 against Valentin Royer (74th in the world), on the same center court Philippe Chatrier where on Sunday he won Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (83rd), in that case losing the first set before coming back.
The start of the tournament is being more difficult than expected for Djokovic (39 years old and current number 4 in the ranking ATP), which aspires in this edition to a historic 25th title of the grand slamthe obsession that accompanies him in this final stretch of his career.
After the match, where once again the local tennis player was very animated in an electric atmosphere in the stands, Djokovic admitted the difficulties he encountered in achieving victory.
“It was again a very difficult match due to the conditions (weather, strong heat). I hope I don’t have to play against French players again in the rest of the tournament,” declared the Serbian in his message from the court.
Djokovic, in a season where an injury to his right shoulder slowed him down, had reached Paris without any victory this year on clay.
The Serbian tennis player now has two victories and in the third round he will play against the Brazilian Joao Fonseca (30º) or the Croatian Dino Prizmic (72nd), that last one his executioner this same month in the Rome Masters 1000.
The center court of Roland Garros was the scene of Djokovic’s great successes in the past: he won the Parisian Grand Slam there three times (2016, 2021, 2023) and won the Olympic gold medal in 2024.
Rybakina falls in second round
The Kazakh Elena Rybakinaworld number two and winner of the Australian Open Earlier this year, she was eliminated in the second round of Roland Garros against the Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva this Wednesday in Paris.
Rybakina fell to the 55th in the world 3-6, 6-1 and 7-6 (10/4) and became the first big favorite of the women’s team to say goodbye to the main annual clay court tournament.
He had not lost so early in a Grand Slam competition since his defeat in the second round of the US Open in 2024.
At Roland Garros he had reached the round of 16 a year ago and the quarterfinals in 2021 and 2024.
