Defending champion Novak Djokovic shrugged off doubts about the state of his game with a confident 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 defeat of Pierre-Hugues Herbert at the French Open on Tuesday.
The top seed had to wait until the night match on the third day of the tournament to begin his quest for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title but quickly hit his stride to dispatch French wild card Herbert on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Djokovic has not reached a final this year and his world No 1 ranking is under threat from Jannik Sinner, with the Serb saying before the tournament that he arrived with “low expectations and high hopes” after some uncharacteristic defeats.
However, everything looked in fine working order against Herbert, who put up solid resistance but never looked likely to unduly concern Djokovic, who has now won 72 of his 74 first-round matches in Grand Slam tournaments.
The only moment of slight drama for Djokovic came deep in the third set when he took a nasty tumble down by the net, and was booed by the ever-friendly Paris crowd as he towelled himself down.
‘Grand Slams get me out of bed every day’
Speaking to Eurosport, three-time French Open champion Djokovic – who will now face Roberto Carballes Baena in round two – said: “He [Herbert] gave me a lot of trouble on his serve, serve and volleying, but from my side I’m pleased with the performance.
“At this age I see every match as a golden opportunity as you don’t know how long you have at this level.
“It’s something that I have been saying from the beginning of the year, that Grand Slams are the ones that are basically getting me up from the bed every day, knowing that I have to hit the practice courts.”
Djokovic added to reporters later on: “In the moments when it mattered I think I delivered, stayed focused. I’m glad that I started the way I started, the way I felt on the court.
“Comparing to the previous weeks of tournaments I played, I felt good. I’m moving in a positive direction.”
Ruud makes winning start in quest for French Open title
Casper Ruud, a beaten finalist in the last two French Opens, gained some belated family revenge by beating Brazilian qualifier Felipe Meligeni Alves in straight sets.
In the final of the 1995 Swedish Open in Bastad, Meligeni Alves’ uncle Fernando Meligeni beat Ruud’s father Christian to win the title.
Ruud, a winner in Geneva last week, said: “I think both me and my dad wanted to get some revenge. It was worth the wait, I guess. It was many years we had to wait, but we got it today.
“This is one of the biggest tournaments for me and for everyone every year. One of my highlights. I’m always looking forward to it.
“The last two years have given me so much here in Paris. I hope I can make it another good year.”
Ruud earned three break points at 3-2 and more on the Brazilian’s next service game before snatching a break on his seventh opportunity to go 5-3 up and bag the first set.
Alves had matched Ruud’s power game for about an hour but gradually the mistakes piled up as Ruud did not give a single break point away in the entire second set.
Another early break in the third put Ruud firmly in the driving seat and he sealed a 6-3 6-4 6-3 win in just under two hours.
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