Tournament favorites Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz began their French Opens with straight set wins, though each had a wobble at the end.

The 2-time champion Djokovic eased past Alexander Kovacevic 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(7-1). Djokovic, who trained with the American last year, failed to serve it out in the third but put the youngster away in the breaker.

“He played really well, and he was handling himself very good there mentally, hanging in there,” Djokovic said. “I served for the match, he broke me. I mean, credit to him for fighting spirit.”

Djokovic is now 19-0 in the first round at the French Open. He’s also 8-0 in Slams this year with a 24-1 mark in sets. Djokovic is six wins from 23.

“I think I played really well and held things under control for two-and-a-half sets and then lost my serve and things got a little bit on a wrong side for me,” Djokovic added. “But, you know, I managed to hold my nerves and played pretty much a perfect tiebreak.

“I can always play better, I know I can do it, but considering also the conditions, they were quite tricky today with a lot of wind. It was a good match.”

Alcaraz was out on Suzanne Lenglen and the betting favorite didn’t disappoint rolling Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli 6-0, 6-2, 7-5.

“It’s great to play here, my first time on Suzanne-Lenglen. It’s a great court and yeah I really enjoyed that, with great energy from the crowd. I really wanted to come back with a great level,” Alcaraz said.

Like Djokovic, Alcaraz also couldn’t finish off the 21-year-old in the first time of asking but was able to break at 5-all and then serve it out, avoiding a breaker.

“Not too good, not a great feeling. I had to recover, I had to quickly forget that and then I managed to play a great level,” he said.

Alcaraz is also riding an 8-match win streak in Slams. He’s still never lost in the first round at this level.

In the evening night match, Jannik Sinner took care of the overmatched Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-1, 6-4, 6-1.

“I think I served quite well,” Sinner said on court. “Against the wind I had to be smart because he was returning very well. When you break someone earlier in a set it’s a little bit easier to serve. It’s never easy to play a French player here.”

The men’s draw lost it’s first Top 10 seed when the 10th-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime fell in straight sets to veteran Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.

Auger-Aliassime said afterward he was feeling sick again and his shoulder was an issue. The Canadian added he will return home to run tests on what is ailing him.

After Sunday five 5-setters, seven more played Monday.

Former champion Stan Wawrinka muscled past the Spanish lefty Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6(7-5), 6-4, 6-7(2-7), 1-6, 6-4 in the longest match to date at 4:35.

Wawrinka improves to 8-0 against the Spaniard as he wins a French Open record 11th 5-setter at the event.

Pedro Cachin of Argentina ousted former finalist Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-2, 6-7(1-7), 4-6, 6-2.

The 14th-seeded Cameron Norrie rallied past the combustible Frenchman Benoit Paire 7-5, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. The 26th-seeded Denis Shapovalov edged American 21-year-old Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3.

Jiri Lehecka took out Madrid finalist Jan-Lennard Struff in 7-5, 1-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. And Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman got a much-needed good win upended No. 32 seed Bernabe Zapata Miralles from two sets down 1-6, 6-7(5-7), 6-2, 6-0, 6-4.

And No. 19 Juan Pablo Varillas defeated 18-year-old Juncheng Shang 4-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1.

Also on Monday, No. 12 Frances Tiafoe eliminated (Filip Krajinovic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. 18th-seeded Alex De Minaur topped Ilya Ivashka 6-1, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3. Roberto Bautista Agut defeated China’s Yibing Wu 7-6(7-4), 6-1, 6-1. Qualifier Thiago Agustin Tirante stunned No. 25 Botic Van De Zandschulp 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and No. 29 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina got by promising French 18-year-old Arthur Fils 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

On Tuesday, the first round wraps up with the final 20 matches from the bottom half including play from Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune and 2022 finalist Casper Ruud.

Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev, Tommy Paul and fan favorite Gael Monfils are also in action.

TUESDAY FRENCH OPEN SCHEDULE
Court Philippe-CHATRIER – Début à 11h45
Lucia BRONZETTI (ITA) contre Ons JABEUR (TUN)[7]
Thiago SEYBOTH WILD (BRA) contre Daniil MEDVEDEV (—)[2]
Iga SWIATEK (POL)[1] contre Cristina BUCSA (ESP)

Pas avant 20h15
Gael MONFILS (FRA) contre Sebastian BAEZ (ARG)

Court Suzanne-LENGLEN – Début à 11h00
Elias YMER (SWE) contre Casper RUUD (NOR)[4]
Rebeka MASAROVA (ESP) contre Coco GAUFF (USA)[6]
Elena RYBAKINA (KAZ)[4] contre Brenda FRUHVIRTOVA (CZE)
Richard GASQUET (FRA) contre Arthur RINDERKNECH (FRA)