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Djokovic Sweeps Past McDonald as Paris Push for a Record-Breaking 25th Major Begins

Novak Djokovic opened his 20th Roland-Garros campaign with the clinical efficiency that has made him the most decorated men’s player in Grand-Slam history. The 38-year-old Serb dismissed American Mackenzie McDonald 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, stretching his flawless first-round record in Paris to 21-0 and lifting his career win–loss mark on the clay of Court Philippe-Chatrier to an imposing 93-16.

The straight-sets victory—completed in just 1 hour 58 minutes—extended Djokovic’s current winning streak to five matches and underlined the value of last week’s detour to the Geneva Open, where he finally claimed his 100th ATP trophy. That milestone made him only the third man in the Open Era to reach triple-digit titles, joining Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103).

With 24 major crowns already secured, Djokovic needs one more to eclipse Margaret Court’s all-time record and stand alone atop the Grand-Slam leaderboard. The three-time French Open champion (2016, 2021, 2023) understands how narrow the margins can be: since the start of 2024 he has spent “only” eight weeks at world No 1, compared with 397 weeks across his career—a statistic he often cites as proof that consistency, not single shocks, defines greatness.

McDonald’s lone break of serve came early in the third set, but Djokovic responded by winning 20 of the final 26 points. His 32 winners were offset by just 20 unforced errors, while he landed 67 % of first serves and won 79 % of those points—numbers that bode well ahead of a second-round meeting with French left-hander Corentin Moutet.

The draw remains brutal: a projected quarter-final versus No 3 seed Alexander Zverev, a potential semi-final with top-ranked Jannik Sinner, and perhaps a title showdown against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. Yet history suggests it is unwise to doubt a player whose lifetime five-set record at majors stands at 39-11 (78 %), by far the best among active contenders.

As Djokovic put it in Geneva, “Confidence comes from winning.” Paris has already seen plenty of that—and the chase for a landmark 25th could ensure we see even more during the fortnight ahead.

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