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Serbian chasing 25th major

Novak Djokovic
© Getty Images

by Sam Jacot

Roland Garros — May 29

Novak Djokovic maintained his perfect record against Frenchmen at Roland Garros on Thursday, when he shut down the Corentin Moutet show to reach the third round in the French capital.

Competing on the atmospheric Court Suzanne-Lenglen, Moutet aimed to entertain with his deft drop shots and variety and made life uncomfortable for Djokovic at times. However, the Frenchman was unable to take his chances, with Djokovic crucially saving one set point on serve in the third set en route to a 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1) victory.

“Mentally I had to stay concentrated and prepared for a match like that,” Djokovic said when asked of Moutet’s trickery. “Corentin is a player who has great speed, it was a great battle, especially the third set. I saved a set point… At that moment, anything is possible. I found a shot to stay in the set, a good service. I think in general I played well, I managed to stay calm on court, which wasn’t easy at times.”

The Serbian now holds a 12-0 record against French players at the clay-court major and is one match closer to a record-extending 25th major. The three-time Roland Garros champion will meet Denis Shapovalov or Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic in the third round on Saturday.

It All Adds Up

Djokovic suffered opening-round defeats on clay in Monte-Carlo and Madrid in April but re-found form at the ATP 250 event in Geneva last week, when he defeated Hubert Hurkacz in the final to clinch his 100th tour-level title.

The No. 6 in the PIF ATP Rankings has looked comfortable through his opening two matches in Paris, having beaten Mackenzie McDonald in straight sets in the first round. Last year at this venue, he won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics and will be hoping to make more history in the next fortnight.

Against Moutet, Djokovic lost serve in the opening game and was a break down in the third set but was in control for large periods. The 38-year-old struck 43 winners to 33 unforced errors and was sharp around the net to rebuff the Moutet drop shot, winning 78 per cent of net points, according to Infosys Stats, to advance after three hours and five minutes.

Djokovic came under fire in the closing stages of the third set, but saved a set point on serve at 5-6 before he stay composed in the tie-break. The sixth seed holds a 3-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head series lead against Moutet, who was trying to reach the third round in Paris for the third time.

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Novak Djokovic enters the Roland Garros third round with a 98-16 tournament record.
Peter Staples
Novak Djokovic enters the Roland Garros third round with a 98-16 tournament record.
By ATP Staff
Just one week on from capturing his 100th tour-level trophy in Geneva, Novak Djokovic is closing in on another eye-catching personal milestone at Roland Garros.

The 38-year-old, who has carved out history throughout his illustrious career, is chasing a record 25th major title. But Djokovic could secure another significant achievement as early as the third round.

It All Adds Up

With a victory over Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic on Saturday, Djokovic would record his 99th match win at Roland Garros, which would equal his best mark at a single Grand Slam tournament.

“History in this sport has given me everything in my life, it means a lot to me,” Djokovic said after his first-round win against Mackenzie McDonald. “I always try to make history where I can… In all the tournaments I play, all the practises, all the matches, and especially during the biggest tournaments in the world. There is an opportunity to make more history, and that is one of the biggest motivations I have for competitions, for continuing to work and better myself.”

Djokovic's W-L Record Per Grand Slam Event (prior to Roland Garros R3)


Event W-L Titles
Australian Open 99-10 10
Roland Garros 98-16 3
Wimbledon 97-12 7
US Open 90-14 4
The former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings currently holds his most wins at the Australian Open, where he is a record 10-time champion and boasts a 99-10 record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Yet he could surpass 100 wins at a major event for the first time this week at Roland Garros, where he lifted the trophy in 2016, 2021, and 2023.

If Djokovic beats Misolic, he would play Jacob Fearnley or Cameron Norrie to secure his 100th win at the clay-court Slam.

Djokovic is seeded for a quarter-final meeting with last year’s finalist Alexander Zverev, whom he leads 8-5 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The Serbian was forced to retire from their previous meeting in the semi-finals at the Australian Open in January.

With a staggering 112-4 record at Roland Garros, 14-time champion Rafael Nadal owns the most wins at the clay-court major. Fellow ‘Big Three’ legend, Roger Federer, holds the record at the Australian Open (102) and Wimbledon (105), but Djokovic is tantalisingly close to surpassing each of those records.

Pair meeting for place in Paris fourth round
May 30, 2025
Filip Misolic trained with Novak Djokovic in August 2024.
Filip Misolic
Filip Misolic trained with Novak Djokovic in August 2024.
By ATP Staff
Filip Misolic will hear opportunity knocking Saturday at Roland Garros, where he takes on three-time champion Novak Djokovic for a spot in the fourth round.

While the 23-year-old Austrian may be in uncharted waters — his deepest run at a Grand Slam tournament — he can draw on his experience. Misolic trained with Djokovic prior to last year’s US Open and has already faced other former major winners Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Thiem so far in his career.

”Thanks @djokernole for an amazing week,” Misolic wrote on Instagram to Djokovic, who liked the post and followed the Austrian.

The No. 153 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Misolic turned pro in 2019, and it has since been a steady rise. He reached his maiden ATP Tour final on home soil in Kitzbuhel as a wild card, defeating Top-100 opponents Pablo Andujar and Dusan Lajovic en route.

“I knew that if I worked hard, maybe someday I could make the final of an ATP [tournament], but I would never say that in my first main draw I would play the final,” Misolic said after his run in Kitzbuhel in 2022. “I’m very happy and it’s a huge motivation to work harder and play more finals.”

It All Adds Up

Hailing from Graz, Austria, Misolic has grown up relishing clay-court tennis. He has hauled three ATP Challenger Tour titles during his career, all of which have come on the surface, including earlier this month in Prague.

Last year in the French capital, Misolic qualified for the main draw before falling to then-World No. 27 Francisco Cerundolo in the second round. Last month, he reached the quarter-finals at the ATP 250 in Bucharest, but lost to eventual champion Flavio Cobolli.

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While Djokovic is chasing a record 25th major title, the reward for Misolic is also considerable. The Austrian began the year outside of the Top 300 in the PIF ATP Rankings, but with a win in his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head match with Djokovic, he would surge 42 spots to a career-high No. 111 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

“I began playing when I was six. My sister injured her knee and we already had courts for the winter. Then I started playing with her coach and we realised that I wasn’t that bad,” said Misolic, who claims his tennis idol was Andy Murray, Djokovic's former coach. “I like to practise at home because there I feel most comfortable.”

That quiet, grounded mentality has helped Misolic to this point. He will now attempt to score the biggest win of his career against Djokovic, who owns a 98-16 record at Roland Garros, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.