Novak Djokovic won his first-round match against Aleksandar Kovacevic at the French Open, continuing his streak of never losing a first-round match at the tournament. Djokovic is aiming for his 23rd Grand Slam singles title, which would be a record. He won in straight sets, but encountered resistance in the third set before winning in a tie-break. Djokovic will face Marton Fucsovics in the next round. Carlos Alcaraz, the top seed, also won his first-round match. Veteran Fabio Fognini defeated 10th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.
World No 3 Novak Djokovic began his quest for a record-breaking 23rd men’s Grand Slam singles title by sweeping past American Aleksandar Kovacevic in the opening round of the French Open; veteran Fabio Fognini takes down 10th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime
19:08, UK, Monday 29 May 2023
Novak Djokovic started his campaign for a record-breaking 23rd men’s Grand Slam singles title in style with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-1) victory over debutant Aleksandar Kovacevic at the French Open. The former two-time champion did not drop a set in the opening round at Roland Garros since 2010 and continued his first-round winning streak, making it 65 consecutive first-round victories at Grand Slam events.
Kovacevic, who idolized Djokovic as a child, made a confident start to his Grand Slam main draw debut but could not match the experience of Djokovic, who claimed the first break of the match in the sixth game. Despite a third-set turnaround, in which the American rallied from 3-5 to force a tie-break, Djokovic held firm to complete the win, converting five of his 12 break points and striking 41 winners.
Next up for Djokovic is a meeting with journeyman Marton Fucsovics, whom Djokovic has a 4-0 head-to-head record against. Djokovic will be looking to improve his record at Roland Garros, where he has won only one of his 20 Grand Slam singles titles.
Meanwhile, top seed Carlos Alcaraz impressed in a 6-0 6-2 7-5 victory over Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli. The 18-year-old Spaniard, who is considered one of the sport’s rising stars, has been making waves on the ATP Tour, and his performance at the French Open was no exception.
Elsewhere, veteran Fabio Fognini caused a major upset in the men’s draw by taking down 10th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets. The Italian, who is known for his fiery temperament on court, produced a composed performance to win 6-4 6-3 6-4 and book his place in the second round.
The French Open is always a thrilling event, and this year’s tournament promises to be no different. With Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer all in the mix, the battle for the men’s singles title is sure to be intense. Fans around the world will be eagerly watching to see who comes out on top and takes home the coveted trophy.
