Roland Garros: Alcaraz and Djokovic meet in the semifinals, some Franco-French duels in the first round.

The last time Rafael Nadal missed Roland Garros was in 2004, when his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz was still a child. After nearly two decades, he became the new general in men’s tennis. Still 141^e At the beginning of the 2021 World Cup, the young Spaniard, who took the throne of world number one, will face a qualifier in the first round of Roland Garros. This is one of the lessons for the 2023 edition of the draw hosted by rugby player Antoine Dupont, which will take place on Thursday, May 25 in Paris.

A title in Indian Wells, Madrid (two Masters 1000) or Barcelona (ATP 500) this season, Alcaraz shares the favorite suit of Roland Garros with Serbian Novak Djokovic, who could be found in the semifinals of the tournament. Since the start of the calendar year, the two men have already exchanged the world number one spot four times.

World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev of Russia thought he was allergic to clay. But that was before winning on this surface in Rome (Masters 1000), a tournament that acts as a dress rehearsal before Roland Garros. With that reference, he completes the top three favorites to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires. He will also compete in a qualifier and could face Denmark’s Kasper Rudi, the finalist in the previous match against Nadal, in his path to the semi-finals.

Beware, but the men’s table has never looked so open since the mid-2000s, so Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas and Denmark’s Holger Rooney are serious contenders. The first one has already reached the final of the tournament in 2021. Announcing the 2022 season, the latter has just risen to sixth in the world within days of blowing out twenty candles.

Iga Sviatek seems less sovereign than last year

In the women’s draw, Iga Sviatek, who will face 77-year-old Christina Buska^e The world player has been a legacy favorite since the start of the tournament. In 2022, the Pole dropped just one set en route to his second title at Roland Garros (since 2020), while remaining undefeated during the clay season. Since then, the noose has tightened with two competitors from the East: Arina Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina. The reigning champion is also part of the table with the Czech Barbora Krejcikova (blessed in 2021) and Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, 4 years old.^e A world player who could find himself in the last four.

A three-time champion, including the Australian Open in 2023, the Belarusian is the most regular on the circuit this year. From Wimbledon to Rome, through Indian Wells, the Kazakh also won prestigious victories.

Behind these three gondola heads, it will be necessary to keep an eye on Veronika Kudermetova; The Russian remains in two consecutive semifinals in Madrid and Rome (two WTA 1000s). Tunisian Ons Jabeuri is also coming back from injury. The recent Wimbledon finalist will be looking for revenge after a first-round exit at Roland Garros last year. To correct this error, she will have to defeat the Italian Lucia Bronzetti, who is not among the leaders.

What about France’s chances? A few months ago, Caroline Garcia won the Masters, a tournament that brings together the eight best players of the season. World number four at the end of 2022, so he has established himself as a contender for a Grand Slam crown. Since then, hell. After leaving and then linking up with coach Bertrand Perre, Lyonnais is going through a period of doubt. In Porte d’Auteuil, this is still the best three-suited card and, by far, men and women alike. He will begin his tournament by playing 22-year-old Wang Siyu of China, 54 years old^e the world. Lyonesse will find themselves in Aryna Sabalenka’s side of the table for a possible quarter-final.

On the French side, in addition to Caroline Garcia, the reigning champion of the circuit, Alize Cornet, will face the Italian 43.^e Kamila Giorgi of the world and 33 years old will compete in the 65th^e Consecutive grand slam. And Ocean Dodin, who remains in the first round of the French Open with four eliminations, will face compatriot Selena Janicijevic, 20, ranked 183rd in the WTA.

Caroline Garcia and others

Among the eleven French men in the top 100 men, the highest-ranked Hugo Humbert is only 38.^e place (particularly followed by Richard Gasquet or Corentin Mutt). None of them had seeded status at the time of the draw. This is the cavity in which the tricolor tennis ball is located. The draw for the three Frenchmen offered a Franco-French showdown, with Humber facing Adrian Mannarino, Gasquet playing Arthur Rinderknecht and Moute starting against Arthur Cazzo, the young Tricole hopeful, in a fortnight.

Luca van Assche (19) and Arthur Fils (18) represent the next generation of Frenchmen and will be closely studied. They will face No. 29 seed Marco Cecchinato and Davdovic Fokina, respectively, in their first match in the main draw. If successful, they may meet in the next round. Also look out for veteran Gael Monfils, who has fallen down the world rankings after injuries, to face Argentina’s Sebastian Baez, 44.^e global.

Finally, Benoit Paire, who received a wild card to play this Grand Slam, will share the court with England’s Cameron Norrie, 14 years old.^e On the ATP, a tough draw.

This is 121^e The French Open is already marked by the departure of Rafael Nadal. Like the Mallorcan, British veteran Andy Murray refused to participate. 2021 Wimbledon finalist Italian Matteo Berrettini, also injured, pulled out of the Paris Grand Slam for the second time in a row.

Naomi Osaka will miss the women’s draw. After announcing she was pregnant, the former world number one from Japan has put her career on hold this year and will miss the Philippe Chatrier and Suzanne Lenglen courts.