Novak Djokovic finally reached a major milestone last week in Geneva, clinching his 100th ATP singles title. With that long-awaited win behind him, he’s now back in Paris, aiming to add Grand Slam No. 25 to his legendary collection. He kicked off his Roland Garros campaign with a solid start, cruising past Mackenzie McDonald in straight sets—6-3, 6-3, 6-3. It was his first time back on Court Philippe Chatrier since his Olympic triumph, and he looked sharp, dropping serve just once in the match. Now, the Serbian is locked in a second-round showdown against Frenchman Corentin Moutet. Things were moving smoothly until they weren’t.

Moutet, trailing by two sets, was holding serve in the third and had managed a 3-2 lead. With the score at 30-all on Djokovic’s serve, the momentum felt like it might just shift. But just as the tension peaked on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, play came to a sudden stop. Djokovic called for a medical timeout. Cameras showed the 38-year-old grimacing as he received treatment, apparently dealing with painful blisters.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion resumed the match after receiving treatment. But on returning to the court, Djokovic dropped his serve straight away, handing Moutet a break and a possible opening. Novak Djokovic broke back right away and held his nerve when it mattered most. In the third set, he faced a set point at 5-6 on his serve but came up clutch to stay in the contest. He kept his composure in the tiebreak, eventually sealing a 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1) win.

Djokovic has battled many injuries in his extensive career. Back in 2019, he ran into a similar hiccup while prepping for the US Open. During a practice session, he paused to have a trainer examine a blister on his right foot. He brushed it off at the time, calling it “just blisters” and nothing serious. But fate had other plans—he ended up retiring from his fourth-round clash against Stan Wawrinka, though this time due to a shoulder injury.

Interestingly, blisters had troubled him before. In 2007, he pulled out of Wimbledon after developing one on his toe that led to an infection. Not wanting to risk making things worse, he withdrew from his semifinal match against Rafael Nadal. At that point, Nadal was in control, leading 3-6, 6-1, 4-1. The retirement gave Nadal a free pass to face Roger Federer in the final.

Novak Djokovic had been grappling with a major injury not too long ago. At this year’s Australian Open, he walked off the court to a wave of boos after retiring from his semifinal against Alexander Zverev, having lost the first set in a tight tie-break. The 38-year-old later explained that a tear in his upper left thigh, heavily strapped during the match, left him unable to continue.

To emphasize just how serious it was, Djokovic shared the results of his MRI scan taken in Melbourne. He eventually returned at the Qatar Open, though his comeback didn’t go as planned, as he bowed out in his opening round. Things started looking up at the Miami Open, where he charged into the final and was on the verge of claiming his 100th career title. But in a surprise twist, he fell short against 19-year-old Jakub Mensik. After the loss, the Serbian revealed he’d been playing through swelling under his right eye and an infection, both of which likely hampered his performance.

Coming back to the French Open, the Serbian is looking for a 25th Grand Slam in Paris. And he is confident he can do it!

Novak Djokovic feels “better” about his prospects at Roland Garros

Djokovic’s clay season got off to a rocky start, with early exits in both Monte Carlo and Madrid. But a last-minute decision to play the ATP 250 event in Geneva proved to be a turning point. There, he exacted revenge on Matteo Arnaldi, who had beaten him in Madrid, and edged out Hubert Hurkacz in a tense third-set tiebreak to clinch his milestone title.

At Roland Garros, Novak Djokovic has looked more and more like his vintage self. Though seeded No. 6, he’s shown signs of another deep run in what marks his 21st main-draw appearance in Paris. After his first-round win over Mackenzie McDonald, the 38-year-old reflected on his form, saying, “But now, after Geneva, I feel better. I still have a lot of ambitions; I still have high objectives. I would like to maintain this high level, this dedication, hopefully to reach the best possible result.”

This return to form comes amid big changes in his coaching camp. Djokovic had brought on former rival Andy Murray as part of his team ahead of the 2025 season. But just before Geneva, he announced their split, citing results that didn’t meet shared expectations. In their place, he turned to familiar allies, Dusan Vemic and Boris Bosnjakovic, to guide him through this stretch.

Up next, Novak Djokovic will take on either 27th seed Denis Shapovalov or Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic in the third round on Saturday. Can he script history by winning his 25th Grand Slam trophy? What do you think?