Djokovic shakes off rust to sidestep Mpetshi Perricard

"Congratulations to Giovanni," Djokovic said in French in his on-court interview. "I played him for the first time and it's practically impossible to see where he will serve. It's like something I've seen maybe one or two times in my career, with Reilly Opelka or Ivo Karlovic. "In a match like that, you have to stay focussed and wait for an opportunity. It was a bit difficult, but in the end, I found my best tennis and best return game at the right moment." Facing the three-time champion on his Philippe-Chatrier debut and having just one main-draw win at the tournament to his name, Mpetshi Perricard could have been forgiven for being overawed by the occasion but it was Djokovic who looked the more uncomfortable of the two throughout the opening two sets. Mpetshi Perricard, who appeared to be hampered by an injury to his right wrist late on, won 82% of points behind his booming first serve, his well-publicised weapon after breaking the tournament speed record at last year's Wimbledon. But he proved equally threatening with his forehand, both from the baseline and at the net, and outstruck Djokovic with 38 winners to 26 in the first half of the match. The Serbian was visibly frustrated after being broken in the 11th game of the opening set, remonstrating with himself and the crowd, and was demonstrative in his reactions to the nine wasted break points in the second. …