French Open 2020: 'Almost perfect' Novak Djokovic ready for Roland Garros bow with clash against Sweden's Mikael Ymer

Paris: Novak Djokovic begins his bid for a second French Open title and 18th Grand Slam title on Tuesday, pledging to be on his best behaviour following his US Open disqualification. The world number one tackles Sweden’s Mikael Ymer, ranked 80, seeking a 32nd win in 33 matches in 2020. His only loss was against himself following his now infamous default in New York for an angry swipe of the ball which hit a line judge in the throat. “Of course, I will make sure I don’t make the same mistake twice,” said the Serb who remains only one of two men to have defeated 12-time champion Rafael Nadal in 15 years in Paris. Djokovic suffered no hangover from his US Open controversy, quickly wrapping up a record 36th Masters title in Rome in a perfect claycourt tune-up for Paris. An extra incentive in Paris for the Serb is the opportunity to become the first man in the Open era —and only the third man in history  —to win each of the four Grand Slam titles twice. Ymer, 22, who is of Ethiopian descent, hasn’t won a main draw match on tour since the sport resumed after its lengthy suspension due to the coronavirus. However, he made the second round of Roland Garros on his Grand Slam debut last year having come through qualifying before losing to Germany’s Alexander Zverev. Also on Tuesday, newly-crowned Hamburg champion Andrey Rublev, seeded 13, tackles giant American Sam Querrey. The 22-year-old Rublev’s final win in Germany over Stefanos Tsitsipas was his third title of 2020, after hardcourt trophies on Doha and Adelaide. Rublev has yet to win a match at Roland Garros in two visits following a loss in qualifying in 2016 and a first round exit in 2017. World No 48 Querrey made the third round in Paris in 2013. Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, seeded nine, faces French veteran Gilles Simon. The left-hander leapt into the top 10 for the first time earlier this month and made the semi-finals of the US Open and last eight in Rome. However, Shapovalov, 21, has just one career win at Roland Garros. In the women’s event, second seed Karolina Pliskova, a semi-finalist in 2017, gets proceedings underway on Court Philippe Chatrier against world number 172 Mayar Sherif, the first Egyptian woman to play the main draw at a Slam. The 24-year-old Cairo native competed in university tennis in the United States and will play Tuesday with Liverpool football superstar and compatriot Mo Salah following her progress closely. Salah retweeted news of Sherif qualifying for the main draw. “Thank you to the Egyptian king for the encouragement,” she replied on Facebook.