Chasing a record 25th Grand Slam, Novak Djokovic still looks like the man to beat despite a shortened clay build-up and a nagging shoulder. He has reshuffled his box for Roland Garros, adding Viktor Troicki to an existing staff that includes Boris Bošnjaković and Dušan Vemić. Djokovic opened the tournament against home favourite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on 24-25 May 2026, dropping the first set before recovering to take the second 7-5 and seize control in the third. For live coverage, viewers in some markets could find first-round matches on HBO Max, TNT and TSN, while the official Roland Garros match feed carried real-time scores.

If you are weighing whether to track Djokovic through Paris this week, the three practical questions are the same across conversations: how fit is he, who's in his box, and what should you expect from his early matches. The short answer is: he remains the man to beat on endurance and experience, but both his coaching team and his match schedule entering Roland Garros make this edition of Djokovic less straightforward than some readers might expect.

Novak Djokovic announced that Viktor Troicki will join his coaching staff for the 2026 French Open, reuniting two long-time compatriots from Serbia, Yahoo Sports reported. Troicki, 40, brings a playing CV that includes three ATP Tour titles and a career-high ranking of world No. 12. He was a long-term presence in Serbia's Davis Cup campaigns, and Yahoo Sports frames this as the biggest coaching assignment of his post-playing career.

Boris Bošnjaković remains in Djokovic’s box. Yahoo Sports notes Bošnjaković played collegiate tennis at Brigham Young University, turned pro in 1997 and retired early because of injuries. He formally joined Djokovic’s coaching group in late 2023 and was part of the team when Djokovic won Olympic men’s singles gold for Serbia at Paris 2024. Dušan Vemić, who had coaching spells with Djokovic in the early 2010s and returned to assist during the clay swing last year, is also listed as part of the support staff.

Frankly, the pairing of Troicki with Bošnjaković and Vemić layers fresh hands on a familiar operation. Troicki’s lone ATP Tour match win over Djokovic came at Umag in 2007, and Yahoo Sports records the broader head-to-head as favouring Djokovic 13-1. That history matters less in practical coaching terms than having experienced Serbian colleagues who know his game and temperament, especially while Djokovic manages physical preparation for the clay fortnight.

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Form and fitness have been the knock-on questions heading into Paris. TennisUpToDate reported Djokovic turned 39 while juggling media duties and final training, but he has packed relatively few competitive hours on clay this season. Since reaching the Australian Open final in January, he has played only two tournaments: Indian Wells in March and the Rome Open in early May.

The Rome outing ended in an unexpected first-round loss to Dino Prižmić, and Djokovic has spent much of the clay season managing a shoulder problem that limited match play, TennisUpToDate added.

That lack of match rhythm showed and then corrected in Paris. Outlook India’s minute-by-minute coverage of Djokovic’s opening-round match against home favourite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard reported that Djokovic, seeded fourth at Roland Garros, began poorly and dropped the opening set. He then shifted momentum to win the second set 7-5 and built a big lead in the third. Outlook India described a match where Djokovic’s movement, return game and sheer experience began to dominate after the early trouble, illustrating a pattern seen in recent Grand Slams where his endurance in best-of-five contests offsets a shaky lead-in.

Put plainly: Djokovic has less recent clay match rhythm than in some previous seasons, but his capacity to grind through long matches and raise his level as best-of-five contests extend remains the defining feature of his Grand Slam record. The presence of Troicki and the continuity of Bošnjaković and Vemić is meant to sharpen that late-match edge while managing the shoulder and any tactical adjustments needed on clay.

There is also a broader backdrop to the fortnight. Djokovic was asked about a reported player-led media protest that limits press conferences to 15 minutes as leverage in prize-money and governance talks. At a Roland Garros press conference, TennisUpToDate quoted Djokovic saying, "No, I’m not part of that. I can't comment on something that I was not part of," and he reiterated a longstanding stance in favour of improved representation and support for players at all ranking levels. TennisUpToDate cites figures discussed by players that place the share of tournament revenue paid to players at approximately 14 percent, a central point for those advocating redistribution to lower-ranked professionals.

For viewers in markets carrying the tournament, Yahoo Sports listed HBO Max, TNT and TSN as broadcast partners carrying live coverage during the first round. If you prefer real-time scoring, the official Roland Garros match feed was the place to check results and scheduling updates during the opening days.

On the tennis end, the practical viewing expectation is straightforward. First, expect Djokovic to start slowly if his clay hours are light. Second, expect his return game and court IQ to assert themselves as matches go longer. Third, expect the coaching changes to show up not as instant tactical revolutions but as marginal gains in match preparation, physical management and the sort of in-the-moment adjustments that swing long matches his way.

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One concrete fact anchors the fortnight: Djokovic began Roland Garros with a first-round win over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on 24-25 May 2026 as he chases a record 25th Grand Slam. Originally reported by sports.yahoo.com.

This article was created with AI assistance.