When will Novak Djokovic play his first round at 2024 Roland Garros? (And, is it time to sound the alarm?)

Novak Djokovic

• Seed: 1
• Career-Best Ranking: 1
• Age: 37
• Career Titles: 98
• Grand Slam Titles: 24 — Australian Open (10: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023), French Open (3: 2016, 2021, 2023), Wimbledon (7: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), US Open (4: 2011, 2015, 2018, 2023)

When will Djokovic play his Roland Garros first round?

Novak Djokovic is set to kick off his 2024 Roland Garros campaign on Tuesday, May 27 against French wildcard Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

The top seed and defending champion is looking to win a fourth title in Paris and 25th major victory overall—which would extend his all-time lead over 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal to three Slams.

How has Djokovic performed in 2024 so far?

Is it time to sound the alarm? Djokovic, having just turned 37, arrived in Paris in the unusual position of having not just failed to win a title in nearly six months, but having yet to even reach a final this season.

Following a glittering 2023 season that saw Djokovic rack up Australian Open, Roland Garros and US Open titles, the Serbian finished the year as world No. 1 and ATP Finals champion. Fast forward to late May, and worrying question marks have been surrounding Djokovic amid a series of uncharacteristic performances and bizarre incidents.

After putting in his best performance of the season to reach the Australian Open semifinals, Djokovic crashed out in Indian Wells at the hands of world No. 123 Luca Nardi—the lowest-ranked player to ever defeat him at a Masters 1000 event. After seeming to right the ship with a run to the Monte Carlo semifinals, he found himself crashing out in Rome's third round two days after being struck in the head by a fan's aluminum water bottle while signing autographs. And after taking a late wildcard into an ATP 250 in Geneva for more match play, he departed Switzerland with even more questions after a 6-4, 0-6, 6-1 semifinal defeat to Tomas Machac.

WATCH: Tomas Machac shocks Novak Djokovic in the Geneva semifinals ⤵️

Where did Djokovic land in the 2024 Roland Garros men's singles draw?

As the tournament's No. 1 seed, Djokovic anchors the top half of the draw—where 14-time Roland Garros winner Rafael Nadal also landed, along with No. 7 seed Casper Ruud, No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev and No. 5 seed Daniil Medvedev.

The Serbian could face a rematch of last year's final if he meets Ruud in the quarterfinals. A three-time Grand Slam finalist (with two runner-ups at Roland Garros), Ruud fell 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 in that championship match. But the Norwegian has since scored his first win against Djokovic on clay in Monte Carlo, bringing their head-to-head record to 1-5 (1-3 on clay).

At one of the most "open" Roland Garros men's singles events in the last two decades, surging Americans Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz will look to make their mark in Djokovic's section. Gael Monfils and Thiago Seyboth Wild also loom in his draw, should Djokovic move past his first-round meeting against Herbert.

Click here to view the full 2024 Roland Garros men's singles draw.