Former World No1 compares Novak Djokovic to Serena Williams after his tough French Open win over French youngster Valentin Royer

Novak Djokovic continued his march at the 2026 French Open with a hard-fought second-round victory over French youngster Valentin Royer. The 24-time Grand Slam champion won the match 6-3, 6-2, 6-7(7-9), 6-3 at Roland Garros. However, the contest lasted nearly four hours and tested the Serbian star physically and mentally. Djokovic was also pushed to four sets in the opening round by Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, showing that the veteran is facing tougher battles early in the tournament.

Former World No. 1 Andy Roddick later shared his thoughts on Djokovic’s performance during an episode of his podcast. The American compared Djokovic’s current situation to Serena Williams during the later years of her career. Roddick explained that experienced champions sometimes need real match pressure to find their best rhythm during Grand Slam events. Despite the difficult moments, Djokovic once again showed his fighting spirit and advanced to the third round, where he will face Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca for the first time on tour.

Andy Roddick says Novak Djokovic is following Serena Williams’ late-career Slam pattern

Andy Roddick believes Novak Djokovic is now entering a stage similar to Serena Williams during the final years of her legendary career. According to the former US Open champion, Djokovic no longer wants long and exhausting matches early in Grand Slam tournaments because of his age and the physical demands involved. Roddick pointed out that the Serbian would have preferred a quick straight-sets victory against Valentin Royer instead of spending almost four hours on court.

The American explained that while long matches are not ideal, they can still help experienced players build momentum during a major tournament. He said top stars like Djokovic sometimes need competitive matches to sharpen their level because practice sessions cannot fully recreate the pressure and nerves of Grand Slam tennis. Roddick added that Serena Williams often improved round by round during Slams in her later years, and he now sees Djokovic going through a similar process.

Djokovic himself admitted after the match that he was frustrated for not finishing the contest earlier. The Serbian praised Royer for his strong performance and fighting attitude. However, he also admitted that he missed his chances in the third set after leading twice by a break and failing to convert a match point in the tie-break. Djokovic said the difficult conditions and Royer’s resistance made the match very challenging from the beginning.

The three-time French Open champion will now prepare for an exciting third-round clash against 19-year-old Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca.




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