Can Novak Djokovic clinch an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title? "If things go well with the draw — and maybe he catches Jannik Sinner on a really hot day..."

Going into day one of the 2026 French Open, Jannik Sinner is the overwhelming favourite to clinch the title in the absence of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. However, Novak Djokovic will still likely pose a threat in the latter stages of the tournament. If he is still in the fray, an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam could be secured.

It is no secret about Djokovic's ambition to seal another Grand Slam. The 39-year-old is starting to run out of time on the big stage to achieve his dream and is making it a priority, skipping other big tournaments to preserve his body.

While he has kept it in great shape and is very fit, there is a lot of questions and concerns going into this event. He had not played a match since Indian Wells before making his return to the Rome Open after a shoulder injury blighted his progress on court. He would lose in the second round to the impressive young talent Dino Prizmic, banishing any chance of getting time on court under his belt.

Roland Garros is by far the weakest of the Grand Slams for Djokovic, or at least by his standards. He has won there three times thanks to the domination in the past of a certain Rafael Nadal. He made it all the way to the semi-finals last year where Jannik Sinner defeated him.

The Serbian has already got one over the Italian this year at the Australian Open, defeating the world number one in a titanic five-set battle to set up a final showdown against Carlos Alcaraz. While the 25th major title could not be secured in Melbourne, Djokovic will be hopeful to get it done this time around in Paris.

Speaking on the Tennis Channel, former top 10 player Chanda Rubin was in awe over Djokovic's career and how he is still competing. "It’s incredible when you think about how well Novak Djokovic is playing at this stage of his career and the fact that he’s still putting himself in contention," she said.

"We talk so much about Jannik Sinner and how far above the field he is, but with Djokovic — with his experience and all of his titles — you can never count him out. And I think he certainly believes the same thing. Daniil Medvedev said it: 'He’s got to lose at some point. Why not me?' Djokovic embodies that mindset, and it’s why you see him at the top of the all-time major list."

The concern around his lack of playing time before the tournament could be debunked by looking at prior events. While he did play in the Monte-Carlo Masters, Madrid Open and Geneva Open last year before this tournament, he did not play any events between that and Wimbledon before having another hiatus from the court ahead of the US Open. Djokovic did not compete on court before his incredible final run in Melbourne for even longer, winning the Hellenic Championship in November before pulling out of the ATP Finals.

Former world number five Jimmy Arias noted this while also touching on the rivals he secured his 24 Grand Slams against. "He’s really only playing the majors nowadays and still manages to do very well, which is amazing. Three-out-of-five-set tennis at his age, and he’s still able to get through these draws and make a final in Australia. What’s also incredible is that those 24 majors came while facing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal — and don’t forget Andy Murray was sneaking a few in as well and was very tough to beat. The fact that Djokovic has amassed what he has in tennis is almost impossible."

He knew that Djokovic was going to be something special the first time he laid eyes upon him. "He lost to Nadal in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros when he was only 18 years old," he explained. "I hadn’t really heard of him at that point. He lost the first two sets, retired, and then said afterwards in press: 'It’s a shame because I was really the better player today.' At that point, I realised this guy had the mindset to become great because he was semi-delusional."

Fellow American tennis player Alison Riske-Amritraj noted why he was the great tennis player that he is: the mindset. "I put him in his own category as the greatest ever, going after No. 25, which would just be absolutely remarkable," she stated. "He has all of those Grand Slam titles behind him, and if things go well with the draw — and maybe he catches Jannik Sinner on a really hot day — he could absolutely find success.

"But when I think about Novak Djokovic, first and foremost I think about his mindset. I think he changed how a lot of younger players approach their careers and daily routines. I think of Maria Sharapova on the women’s side, Serena Williams as well — but Novak Djokovic is just on another level with that mindset. Even when he speaks, you can tell he’s built differently. He thinks differently. That’s something I’ll always remember about him."

All of these facts give Djokovic a chance of winning the title. He still has a tough draw before even contemplating success. First up is the big serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard who will most certainly have the crowd behind him. Possible encounters with Joao Fonseca in the third round and two-time finalist Casper Ruud in the fourth round come before even the second week has started. He will need to be at his best if he has any chance of securing more glory at Roland Garros.