Novak Djokovic began his campaign for a record 23rd men’s grand slam singles title with victory and world number one Carlos Alcaraz also progressed to the second round at Roland Garros.
Serbia’s Djokovic, a two-time champion in Paris, claimed a 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-1) win over Aleksandar Kovacevic.
Us open champion Alcatraz also came through in straight sets, beating Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-0 6-2 7-5.
Read Also: Italian Open: Djokovic Advances to Quarterfinal
The two are in the same half of the draw and could meet in the semi-finals.
After beating Kovacevic, who is of Serbian heritage, Djokovic wrote on a camera lens: “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence.”
The statement was a reference to recent tension in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
Spain’s Alcaraz cruised through the first two sets before eventually taking his fifth match point after Cobolli had threatened to force a fourth set.
The 20-year-old will face japans’ Taro Daniel next as he continues his bid for a second major title.
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