Europe 1 with AFP 06:00, May 28, 2023

Since the advent of Rafael Nadal in 2005, no edition of Roland-Garros had been as open as the one that begins this Sunday with, in the absence of the Spanish ogre, two favorites: Alcaraz and Djokovic, pressed by a series of players with a sharp appetite. In the women's draw, the tournament must confirm the advent of the Big 3 Swiatek, Sabalenka and Rybakina.

The 2023 edition of Roland-Garros, of which Europe 1 is the official radio, promises to be full of surprises. Without Rafael Nadal, the defending champion who withdrew ten days ago, all hopes are allowed. On the French side, only Lucas Pouille and Fiona Ferro managed to make it into the main draws. Another French woman will also be particularly monitored: Caroline Garcia. In fifth place in the world rankings, she is the only representative of the French contingent, women and men combined, to be seeded in the singles draws. But all eyes will probably converge on the two tennis stars: Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.

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Without Nadal, clear path for the favorites

Carlos Alcaraz, world number 1, is promised a great future and he knows it. "Even if Rafael Nadal had been there, I wouldn't have given myself any less chance of winning," he said. "I would say that I am more mature than last year, mentally I am better, and I read better what is happening on the court," warns the 20-year-old who has everything to become the heir of Nadal.

But we must not forget the "old" Djokovic (36 years old) who, after equaling in Australia the record of 22 titles in Major of Nadal, intends to add a 23rd on the very land of the Spaniard.

Even if he "is not in great physical shape, he is exceptional in Grand Slams," said coach Patrick Mouratoglou who will be in Holger Rune's box. Of all the players on the board, "Djokovic is the one who wins the most Grand Slams every year," Mouratoglou insists. As fate would have it, if they were to meet face to face it would be in the semi-finals, the Serb having dropped this week to third in the world.

The fishermen to win in circles

From the unexpected -on clay- Daniil Medvedev (2nd) to the one expected at the highest level Jannik Sinner (8th), they are six to line up if not as potential winners, at least as scarecrows. "I have accumulated a lot of confidence, I will try to transfer this to the tournament," said Medvedev, who won his first title last week in Rome on a clay he had previously abhorred.

In his half of the table, his main opponents will be Holger Rune (6th), the long-toothed Dane he beat in the final in Rome and whom he could meet in the semis in Paris. Before that, he had to dismiss Sinner in the quarters and Rune had to get rid of his Scandinavian rival Casper Ruud (5th), finalist last year.

At the top of the table, Djokovic and Alcaraz will find many pitfalls on their way. Among them, Stefanos Tsitsipas (4th) seems promised to the Spaniard in the quarters. "There will be no easy opponent. Some don't like the dirt as much as I do, and some have improved on this surface, like Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev," said the Greek. "My potential is great and I feel it," warns the 2021 finalist (he led two sets to zero in the final against Djokovic). For his part, Djokovic could face Rublev (7th), winner of the Masters 1000 of Monte-Carlo in April.

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A feminine Big 3

Poland's Iga Swiatek (World No. 1), Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka (No. 2) and Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina (No. 4) have established themselves as the queens of the circuit in recent months. Of its five defeats of the season, Swiatek owes four to its two rivals.

They share the last four Grand Slam tournaments: Swiatek won at Roland Garros and the US Open last year, Rybakina won Wimbledon 2022 and lost in the final of the Australian Open in January to Sabalenka. They arrive in Paris having won seven tournaments between them since the beginning of the year, including the main and last played on clay: Sabalenka in Adelaide and the Australian Open (hard) and Madrid (gravel), Swiatek in Doha (hard) and Stuttgart (gravel), Rybakina in Indian Wells (hard) and Rome (gravel).

In addition, the world number 1 spot is at stake between Sabalenka and Swiatek who will only be able to face each other in the final. Is Belarusian ready to ascend the throne? "I think so," she says. I've improved a lot and I have everything to be No. 1, but I don't want to focus on that, I just want to focus on my game." Rybakina will have her role to play since she will probably be on the road of the Pole.