French Open 2024: Novak Djokovic starts Roland Garros with Pierre-Hugues Herbert win

Novak Djokovic started his bid to defend the French Open championship with a strong win, albeit not a remarkable one, against French player Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

In the evening session at Roland Garros on Tuesday, Djokovic from Serbia, who is 37 years old, improved his performance at crucial moments and came out as the winner with a score of 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 6-4.

The tennis legend who has won 24 Grand Slams will set a new record if she wins the French Open for the fourth time.

However, he arrived at the occasion with unclear condition.

Djokovic has had a tumultuous season, as he hasn't been performing at his usual level and has yet to make it to the finals.

Last week, he played in Geneva in an effort to develop his rhythm and boost his confidence before participating in the French Open. When he reached there, he expressed that he had high aspirations but did not have great expectations.

It was interesting to witness how Djokovic would perform against Herbert, who is a wildcard and ranked 142nd.

Djokovic's footwork while standing at the back of the court did not appear entirely at ease and was without some precision in his serving.

Nonetheless, his returns were typically strong, and he remained capable of selecting opportune moments to attack - particularly during a dominant performance in the tie-break.

This season, Djokovic seems to be missing some of the motivation that has usually helped him win, but his expressive rejoicing when he secured a two-set advantage revealed his satisfaction.

Opportunities were not frequent during the third set until he applied more force in the last round, which ended up being the concluding match.

A beautiful shot that resulted in a win when the score was tied led to the first opportunity to win the match, but Herbert made a mistake and lost the point by committing a double fault.

Djokovic expressed his satisfaction about his initial approach and demeanor while playing on the court. He is set to take on Roberto Carballes Baena, ranked 63rd in the world, in the second round.

When I look back on the tournaments I've played in the past few weeks, I can tell that I've been doing better, which feels great. It seems like I'm on an upward trajectory and that's really encouraging.

No matter what occurred during the Djokovic match, Herbert had already experienced his "most significant victory of 2024."

In April, Herbert's infant child Leandre underwent a 10-hour surgical procedure on his pancreas due to being diagnosed with a genetic condition called congenital hyperinsulinism. This disorder results in extremely elevated levels of insulin.

Not long after, Herbert shared the difficult experience his family had faced and declared that Leandre had "recovered".

The account of the family has resonated with the tennis society and possibly granted the 33-year-old more backing in opposition to Djokovic.

The supporters from Paris are well-known for supporting their local players with enthusiasm. However, they were particularly excited when they witnessed Herbert's impressive performance in keeping Djokovic on serve during the second and third sets.

The way he gave up his win was heartless. People felt sorry for him, but their pity was soon overwhelmed by a thunderous applause after he left the arena.