Novak Djokovic Denies Physical Issues in Pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam Title at Roland Garros

In the lead-up to the 2026 edition of the Roland Garros, Novak Djokovic is not at the ideal level of competing in a Grand Slam tournament. For a 24-time major winner, a good run ahead of the French Open would have given him momentum, but that is not stopping the 39-year-old from aiming to win the tournament.

Djokovic celebrated his 39th birthday on Friday (May 22), and he’s seeking to win his 25th Grand Slam at the French Open. For a player of his age, he’s meant to be outside the Top 20, but he’s the third seed at Roland Garros, which gives him the privilege of facing the top 2 seeds in the latter stages of the draw.

The former French Open champion arrives in Paris for just his fourth tournament this season. With a 7-3 win-loss record on tour, he seems to be among the few players yet to play up to 15 matches this year. The last time he won a match was at the Indian Wells Open, where he exited in the fourth round.

He missed six weeks of tournament competitions after the Indian Wells and returned to the court at the Italian Open. He was dealing with some physical issues that are yet to be revealed. In Rome, he didn’t get past the second round as Croatian star Dino Prizmic stunned him at the Foro Italico.

After the match, he complained that he’s at his physical best and that he will find a way to reach his best level before Roland Garros. After celebrating his birthday, he revealed to the media that he would have ideally loved to play more matches before the French Open, but he’s happy and confident to compete in the tournament:

The Grand Slams have been the absolute priority, especially in recent years. I always try to reach my maximum level to perform well in these tournaments. I needed to hear the score again, feel the nerves of competition before coming to Roland Garros because at that moment, I didn’t even know if I could play it. I needed a match, at least. My body’s response and the preparation have been positive over the last ten days. So here I am and we’ll see what happens.

In January, before Djokovic took to the court, he had not played a competitive match for up to two months. However, that did not hinder him from reaching the final of the event for the first time since 2023. Although he lost the title to Carlos Alcaraz, his win over Jannik Sinner brought back memories of his younger self.

Novak Djokovic not changing his approach at the French Open despite Carlos Alcaraz’s absence

French Open defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will not take part in the tournament due to a wrist injury he sustained at the Barcelona Open back in April. That gives Novak Djokovic a chance at the Roland Garros, which starts on May 24. The former World No.1 understands that the only player who can challenge him at the tournament is Jannik Sinner.

Sinner has won three consecutive ATP Masters 1000 titles on clay ahead of this event. And he’s in a much better form than Djokovic, but the Serb would aim to rely on the experience of beating the Italian star in January. He revealed to reporters that Alcaraz’s absence doesn’t totally change his approach to the event:

Whether that changes my approach to this tournament, I don’t think it does significantly change, to be honest, because I have been through challenging times with my body in the last six to eight months. So that was my primary focus or concern, if I may say, not much really thinking about would I have better chances or not with Carlos being here or not being here.

Djokovic will open his account at the French Open against French star and home favorite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. The match is expected to be competitive due to the home crowd’s support for Perricard. Djokovic reached the semi-finals of the tournament last year before losing to Sinner in straight sets.

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