3x French Open champ Novak Djokovic entered the 2026 edition of Roland Garros with limited preparations, having played just a single clay match in the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. On Saturday, the 24-time major titlist was seen cooling off in the streets of Paris, where he stopped by a sign that made him nostalgic about his Serbian roots.
The 39-year-old sported a white polo and black trousers with a drink in hand as he roamed around the streets of Paris before his Paris clay campaign begins on Sunday. He stopped to pose beside a street sign that reads “Avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie,” which translates to “Avenue Peter I of Serbia.” This avenue is named after King Peter I of Serbia, a noteworthy Serbian monarch. Being a proud Serb, Djokovic proudly posed beside a piece of Serbian history in a foreign land and posted the snap on Instagram.
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Novak Djokovic relocated his family to Athens in the summer of 2025 after a railway station collapsed in Serbia and 16 people lost their lives in the tragic accident. He officially uprooted his family from Serbia, opting for a Greek golden visa, to give his children a new life in a foreign land. Despite securing his new residence, the tennis icon still proudly competes for Serbia at the international level.
Novak Djokovic celebrates his 39th birthday at Roland Garros
Djokovic was celebrating his 39th birthday surrounded by Roland Garros organizers, where the Serbian was seen cutting a chocolate cake with happy-birthday candles on top.
As he spoke to the media on Friday, the former World No. 1 opened up about the fourth event of the year. Despite limited preparations and the challenging lead-up, the 24-time Grand Slam champion seemed optimistic about his chances in the game.
“Not kind of how I imagined my birthday to go, but nice to see you guys,” – Novak Djokovic said in the press conference.
“Grand Slams have been, and I have said this many times, always on the priority list, particularly in the last couple of years. I always try to aim to be at the peak of my own abilities to perform well in Grand Slams, so I can’t wait to get on a court and start competing” – he added.
Novak also honestly pointed out how he wasn’t fully ready to compete when he returned in the Italy Open after missing six weeks post-injury following Indian Wells. But he also admitted he needed that “experience of the nerves” before the Paris clay court. The Golden Masters winner will begin his French Open campaign against the local favorite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Sunday.
Edited by Ahana Bhaumik