The organizers of Roland-Garros, which begins on Sunday and of which Europe 1 is the official radio, drew lots for the men’s and women’s tables. On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and the young Spanish phenomenon Carlos Alcaraz, the three main favorites, have been placed in the same half of the table. Djokovic, world number one and holder of the trophy, could face Nadal, 13 times winner of the Parisian Grand Slam, in the quarter-finals. The winner would potentially meet Alcaraz, at the gates of the top 5 at 19, in the semi-finals.
On clay in Paris, Djokovic is looking for a 21st Grand Slam trophy that would allow him to equal the record held by Nadal since his coronation at the Australian Open in January. The Serb, who will turn 35 on Sunday, will begin his fortnight against the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka. The Mallorcan, soon to be 36, will start against Australian Jordan Thompson.
A potential Alcaraz-Zverev in the quarter-finals
Alcaraz, who is having a hair-raising spring with his first two Masters 1000 titles, in Miami at the start of April and Madrid at the start of May, plus a success in Barcelona in the meantime, will be opposed to a player from the qualifications in the first round. Like world number 3 Alexander Zverev, the Spaniard’s potential opponent in the quarter-finals.
In the other half of the table, the theoretical semi-final would pit world number 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas, outgoing finalist, against number 2 Daniil Medvedev, who has just returned after a hernia operation in early April. Previously, the Greek could face the Norwegian Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals, and the Russian his compatriot Andrey Rublev.
An obstacle course for Iga Swiatek
On the women’s side, the draw reserved an obstacle course for world number one Iga Swiatek who could face the 2018 winner Simona Halep (19th player in the world) in the round of 16. If successful against the Romanian, now supported by Patrick Mouratoglou, the coach of Serena Williams, the Pole, who had created the surprise by winning the fall edition in 2020, could theoretically compete with the Czech Karolina Pliskova (8th) in quarters. And it would be to then find the winner of the theoretical quarter between Paula Badosa (3rd) and Aryna Sabalenka (7th).
In the lower part of the table, the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (6th), very fit in recent weeks with in particular her first major title at the WTA 1000 in Madrid followed by her final at the WTA 1000 in Rome, could find in the quarters the Greek Maria Sakkari (4th in the world and semi-finalist last year). The Czech defending champion Barbora Krejcikova (2nd) could find the Belarusian Viktoria Azarenka (15th) in the eighth then the Spaniard Garbine Muguruza (10th), winner in 2016, in the quarters.