Novak Djokovic is making his 20th appearance at the French Open, and only once has he missed the third round, back in his 2005 debut at the age of 18.
The three-time French Open champion and defending titleholder overcame the ever-fighting Roberto Carballés with scores of 6-4, 6-1, and 6-2, in a match that lasted 2 hours and 4 minutes.
Carballés, who had already lost twice to the Serbian, momentarily troubled Djokovic, who is not at his peak form. The Spaniard started the match with a break in his favor. However, his celebrated opponent broke back immediately.
The match remained tight until 4-4. It was then that the world number one shifted into a higher gear to secure a second break. A third break came at the start of the second set.
Djokovic was on a fast track to his 1,103rd victory, 368 of which have come in Grand Slam tournaments.
The scoreline quickly escalated to 4-0. Carballés responded with a break of his own, but the deficit was too large to overcome. ‘Nole’ continues his quest to retain his championship crown and ATP top spot. His only chance to stay as number one is to reach at least the final. He feels the pressure from Jannik Sinner but remains steadfast.
Tennis Players with the Most Third Round Appearances at Roland Garros (Open Era)
- Novak Djokovic: 19
- Rafael Nadal: 18
- Roger Federer: 16
- Guillermo Vilas: 13
- Stan Wawrinka: 12
- David Ferrer: 12
