Novak Djokovic warns about Roland Garros crowd ahead of match vs Moutet: ‘Not the ideal environment’

After capturing the 100th title of his professional career last week at the Geneva Open, Novak Djokovic got off to a strong start at Roland Garros with a straight-sets win over Mackenzie McDonald. Now, he’ll face a local player, Corentin Moutet, and noted the potential impact of the home crowd.

“It’s a battle out there, you know. Sometimes, it’s not just a battle with the player,” said Novak during a press conference ahead of Thursday’s match against Moutet, implying that French players are likely to benefit from the support of the home fans. “They’re going to have the crowd on their side. It’s nothing strange about it. It’s expected.”

While he acknowledged that home-court advantage is common at any tournament, Djokovic admitted that the effect is especially strong in Paris: “It is true that here in France and in Paris, comparing to other Slams, the people are louder and more passionate and just give more support, louder support, more energy to their player.”

Matches in this kind of atmosphere can be tricky, as the Serbian star explained. “For some can be annoying,” he said. “It’s not the kind of ideal environment you want to be playing in, but you have to be ready for it.”

Djokovic knows what he’s talking about

Thursday’s match against Corentin Moutet on French soil won’t be unfamiliar territory for Novak Djokovic. He has faced this opponent only twice in his career, but interestingly, the first time was also in a tournament held in Paris: it came in the Round of 32 at the 2019 Masters 1000 event, where the former World No. 1 emerged victorious.

The other meeting between Djokovic and Moutet took place last year in the Round of 64 at the Rome Open. That time, Nole claimed a comfortable 6-3, 6-1 win to advance, in what remains their only matchup on clay so far.

Djokovic chasing fourth French Open title

Novak Djokovic carries more credibility than anyone when it comes to Grand Slam tournaments. He holds the all-time record for most Grand Slam titles in ATP Tour history with 24. However, the French Open has historically been the most challenging major for him.

The Serbian star has won three titles at Roland Garros—2016, 2021, and 2023. While that’s an impressive tally by most standards, it falls short compared to his own dominance in tournaments like the Australian Open, where he’s triumphed 10 times.

If Djokovic secures a win over Corentin Moutet in Thursday morning’s second-round match on Court Suzanne Lenglen, he’ll advance to the Round of 32, where he’ll face the winner of Denis Shapovalov vs Filip Misolic.