Roland Garros starts with Djokovic and Alcaraz as favourites, several candidates without Nadal and the betting phenomenon

Roland Garros 2023the second Grand Slam of the season, will kick off this Sunday with a panorama of uncertainty not experienced in the tournament preview for some time: who will end up lifting the crown in Paris? Musketeers cup? Absent Rafael Nadal, dominant since 2005 and champion in 14 of the last 18 editions; the French Open will be the most open in recent years.

It is true that the Majorcan, who will try to return in 2024 for a farewell worthy of his legend, had arrived at last year’s tournament amidst cotton wool, physically compromised by the chronic injury to his left foot which had not allowed him to play comfortably in the matches of preparation (he had made quarters in Madrid and eighths in Rome). But still, he was “the player” to beat for its impressive history and that mysticism that envelops it every time it steps on the brick dust of the Bois de Boulogne. “Rafa is always a candidate,” they all repeated. The consecration of him in the final proved him right. But this year the story is different.

Without Nadal there are two names that seem to have more chances than others to win the title, Carlos Alcaraz AND Novak Djokovic. The Murciano, who climbed back to the top of the standings last Monday, and the Serbian, who fell to the third step, have fallen on the same side of the standings, so they will face each other in a hypothetical semi-final. In the other half of the draw, others with a good chance of inheriting the crown will play who they will not be able to defend. Refdriven by Daniel Medvedev, the surprise candidate. A scenario that divides opinions and baffles bettors.

The general consensus in the racquet world is that Alcaraz is the leading contender for shouting champion in “big” French. the pupil of Juan Carlos Ferrero -who will also defend the number 1 that Djokovic, Medvedev or Tsitsipas could steal from him- Today he is the best player on the brick dust circuit. The brilliant results obtained during the journey to Paris confirm this statement.

Barcelona and Madrid only won and lost one match, in the third round in Rome, where the Hungarian surprised him Fabiano Marozsan, 135th in the standings. That stumble – which occurred at the end of a tiring and physically and mentally demanding tour – did not in the least affect his status as favorite.

“I’m getting on the list because I play at a good level, I have results and confidence. The truth is I’m not afraid to say it. Even though today there is a large number of players who can win the tournament. Tennis is opening up to a wide range of tennis players who can fight and do great things”, assured a few weeks ago who will go to his second “big one”, after the US Open 2022.

Alcaraz – who accumulates a 30-3 record this season and was also champion in Buenos Aires and Indian Wells – leads the predictions of the main betting houses, which see him as the great candidate for Paris. Carlitos pays 2.65 for every dollar wagered; while Djokovic offers 3.60.

The Serbian is not having his best moment. After a furious start to the year, with consecrations in Adelaide and Australia, he was inactive for a couple of months (he couldn’t play in Indian Wells and Miami because he was not vaccinated against the coronavirus) and in the European slow-court season ha has not found its best level. He lost in the round of 16 in Monte Carlo with Lorenzo Musetto and in the rooms of Banja Luka, with Dusan Lajovicand from Rome, with Rune Holger. She has had some physical problems and emotional ups and downs. But – almost as happens with Nadal – his enormous record always places him among the favourites.

Champion in Paris in 2016 and 2021 (year in which the bets predicted the winner in Ref), Freight he will be looking for his 23rd Grand Slam crown (he is the only favorite with more than one consecration in this category), to break the tie with the Spaniard and remain the biggest winner of the Majors in history.

“Djokovic’s standard is very high and I’m sure he will be one of the favourites. But I would put Alcaraz slightly ahead of Nole because he has played more tennis and had better results this season on this surface,” he ventured – without risking much – British Tim Hemannformer world four and commentator by Eurosport.

Medvedev, Rune and others

The Murcian and the Serbian will start at the top, but it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the Roland Garros champion finally has another name. Who would be able to “steal” the trophy from them? MedvedevFor example.

The Russian, whom no one had considered for Paris until a week ago, was flagged in the shortlist by shouting champion in Rome, where he hadn’t won any matches this edition. Inside Italian Forumdefeated several brick dust specialists, such as the German Alexander Zverev (22°), the Greek Stephen Tsitsipas (5th) and the Danish Rune (7th), to add the first title of his career on slow courts.

The Muscovite, champion of the US Open 2021, thus returned to the second step of the standings and also climbed in the bets for Roland Garros: he is third and pays 8.00. We’ll have to see how he reacts in five-set matches on a surface that, until recently, he said he hated.

Runes, one of the jewels of Next generation, is another that might come as a surprise in the French major. Finalist in Montecarlo (lost to Andrei Rublev), champion in Monaco and runner-up in Rome (where he beat Djokovic in the quarterfinals and lost against Medvedev in the final), agrees with those who pointed to him as a potential number one from a very young age.

The 20-year-old Dane, sixth in the ATP ranking and increasingly rooted in the circuit, pays 8.5 in casinos. Much less than Italian Jannik sinner (offers 12.00), the Norwegian Casper Ruud (15.00) and Greek Stephen Tsitsipas (17:00), who also have chances to fight for the title.

Sinner, 21 years old and 8 in the world, is another young star growing by leaps and bounds. His best performance in recent weeks was the semifinal in Monte Carlo (he lost to Rune) and he still hasn’t landed a big shot on slow courts, but he has an extraordinary talent, he’s very dangerous when it’s a good day and he’s , perhaps, what could complicate more Alcaraz, with which he would meet only in the final.

Ruud and Tsitsipas are two orange court experts, but they don’t arrive in the best way in Paris. The Norwegian, four in the world and a finalist in 2022, won Estoril at the start of tours, but then added falls in the round of 16 in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, ​​​​the second round in Madrid and the semifinal in Rome. And he lost in the quarterfinals in Geneva with the Chilean Nicholas Jarry, 54th. Meanwhile, the Greek, fifth in the standings and the only one in this group who will be in the same half of the draw as Alcaraz and Djokovic, made the final in Barcelona and the semi-final in Rome, but seems stuck when he reaches the decisive stages (he didn’t add a single title so far this season). However, the two may come as a surprise.

Without King Nadal, with two great candidates and several other title contenders, Roland Garros 2023 will start, the most open edition of the French Open in the last 18 seasons. An unmissable event for tennis enthusiasts.

First round crosses

How will the path of the favorites start in Paris? In the top half of the draw, Alcaraz, who will top the seed list for the first time at a Grand Slam, awaits an opponent from qualifying. And Djokovic will face the American Alexander Kovacevic, 114th. Meanwhile, Tsitsipas will take on the Czech jiri vesely (452nd, with protected classification).

In the lower sector, Medvedev and Ruud will also clash with rivals from the previous stage. Rune will face the American Christopher Eubanks75th, and Sinner, with the French Alexandre Müller100th.

Of the seven, the Italian would be the first to face a major challenge. Because in his path the German Zverev, a very tough opponent on clay, who reached the semifinals in Paris last year (withdrew due to a serious injury to his right ankle against Nadal) appears as a potential crossroads in the round of 16 at an excellent level.

On the other hand, the Argentines had bad luck in the main draw. Francis Cerundolo23rd favorite, he will clash in the first round with the Spanish Jaume Munar (77th). Sebastian Baez (44th) will go against the French Gael Monfils (386th). Thomas Etcheverry (46th), with the Briton Jack Draper (60th); Pedro Cachin (63rd), against the Austrian Dominic Thiem (91st and finalist in 2018 and 2019); diego schwartzmann (93rd), with the Spanish Bernabé Zapata Miralles, seeded 32nd; Frederick Coria (94th) will face the Croatian Borna Coric, 16th seeded; AND Guido Pelle (421st, another entry into the protected classification), with the French Quentin Halys (87th). Thiago Tiranteentered the field from qualifying and will play his first “big”, he does not yet know his rival.

In the women’s draw, the big candidate is Iga Swiatek, number one in the world, who will go on to win his third consecutive title in Paris. The Pole, who has just withdrawn in the quarterfinals in Rome against Elena Rybakina due to a nuisance in her right thigh, will go to her fourth Major (she also won the US Open last year) and will make her debut against the Spanish Cristina Bucsa (67th). the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenkasecond seed and champion in January in Australia, and Rybakina, fourth and 2022 Wimbledon winner, are emerging as their biggest threats.

Nadia Podoroska he will be the only Argentine representative in the standings. Rosario, 101st and semi-finalist of the tournament in 2020, will make his debut against the locals Jessica Ponchet103rd.