Novak Djokovic was drawn from the French Open after toreting Meniscus with his right knee, pulling out the highest height and winning the Serbian Olympic gold medal – he experienced last year winning the Serbian Olympic gold medal.
This year, aside from the initial set interruptions and lengthy debates on windy weather, the 24-time major champions won the first round of America’s 98th place Mackie McDonald 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the first round in the Philip Chatelier courtroom.
“He makes it look like a video game,” said McDonald, a 30-year-old Californian who played college tennis at UCLA, who competed in the fourth round of the Grand Slam tournament. “He’s just that good. I don’t think he was playing the best tennis or the best level. But if I pushed him to another point, he’d raise it.”
One example: When McDonald scored his first breakpoint and reached Love 40 at 3-2 in the second set, Djokovic came up with three big serves, 120 mph (193 kph) ace, 123 mph (199 kph) ace, and 122 mph (197 kph) service winners.
Jjokovic edited 32 winners – over 18 times than McDonald’s – and in the end he was played on Right-on, with 20 forced errors in the match with a retractable roof closed.
“I’m a competitor and I’m losing my stab wound,” McDonald said.
Djokovic, who turned 38 last weekend and just won his 100th career title, walked to the arena, where the total number of slam trophies was totaled by the stadium announcers, three winners of the French Open, and Summer Game Gold won in Paris.
“I still remember last year’s Olympic Games. It was the last time I was here,” Djokovic said afterwards. “The emotions are very strong.”
Does medals mean so much to him?
“I don’t have a medal with me, but I have a picture of the medal in my bag,” he said. “The medal is the same as my dad. My dad likes trophies more than me, so I gave him mine.”
Other winners included third seed Alexander Zverev, but 2021 US Open champion Danil Medvedev lost to Cameron Norry 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5 in nearly four hours as he finished 11th.
Who is playing for Roland Garos on Wednesday? The second round begins on the fourth day and will have a schedule that includes defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and two finalist Casperudo.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.
