Novak Djokovic arrived at the French Open 2026 with very little match practice on clay. The Serbian legend played only one clay-court match before Roland Garros, featuring at the Italian Open earlier this month. Despite the lack of preparation, the 24-time Grand Slam champion looked calm and relaxed in Paris before beginning his campaign on Sunday. The 39-year-old was recently seen walking through the streets of the French capital while enjoying a drink and interacting with fans ahead of the tournament.During his outing, Djokovic stopped beside a street sign that read “Avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie”, which translates to “Avenue Peter I of Serbia”. The road is named after King Peter I, one of Serbia’s most respected monarchs. Djokovic proudly posed for a picture next to the sign and later shared it on Instagram. The moment attracted attention online as the Serbian star once again showed his strong connection to his homeland despite now living abroad with his family in Greece.
Novak Djokovic reflects on preparations and celebrates birthday at Roland Garros
Novak Djokovic has been in the spotlight throughout the week at Roland Garros. Along with preparing for the tournament, the Serbian also celebrated his 39th birthday at the venue. Tournament organizers surprised him with a chocolate cake and birthday candles during media activities in Paris. The former World No. 1 appeared cheerful as photographers and reporters gathered around him on the special occasion.Speaking to reporters on Friday, Djokovic admitted that his birthday celebrations were not exactly how he imagined them. However, he appreciated the support and attention from the media and fans around him in Paris. The Serbian also explained that Grand Slam tournaments remain his biggest priority, especially at this stage of his career. He said his main goal is always to reach his best physical and mental level for the four major events of the season.Djokovic further revealed that he did not feel fully prepared when he returned to action at the Italian Open after spending around six weeks away from competition because of injury issues following Indian Wells. Still, he believed those matches were important because they helped him regain competitive rhythm and deal with match pressure again before arriving in Paris.Even with limited preparation, Djokovic appeared positive about his chances at Roland Garros. The Serbian legend will begin his French Open 2026 campaign against French crowd favorite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Sunday.
