For the first time in 19 years, Rafael Nadal will be missing from the French Open this season but the men's singles event should not disappoint, with a number of serious contenders for the title having emerged in the last couple of months.
Youngster Carlos Alcaraz takes the top seed spot for the Grand Slam, but experienced figures such as Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev are also expected to be in the running in Paris.
- Daniil Medvedev to win the French Open
- Holger Rune to win the French Open
Top Seed Alcaraz Fancied To Go The Distance
It is crazy to think Alcaraz only turned 20 earlier this month and yet he is already one of the fiercest and impressive players on the ATP Tour.
At last year's US Open, Alcaraz picked up his first Grand Slam title and there are sure to be many more to come with the French Open in the sights of the Spaniard, who can certainly be a force on clay.
Last season Alcaraz crashed out of the clay-court Grand Slam prematurely, losing to Alexander Zverev in the quarter-final stage, but he is expected to go further this time around.
He was absent for the Australian Open at the start of the season but has since won 20 of his 22 matches on the clay courts, defending his titles at both the Barcelona Open and the Madrid Open.
Alcaraz is top seed at the French Open and is for many the player to beat, but this year's tournament has a more open feel to it and punters may want to consider a couple of outsiders instead.
Carlos Alcaraz 8/5 Favourite To Win
Djokovic Fails In Paris Build-Up
Ordinarily, Alcaraz's closest challenger at a Grand Slam would be Serbian ace Djokovic.
However, the world number three has had to contend with injury for much of 2023 and preparations for the French Open have not gone according to plan.
For the first time since 2018, he has failed to win a warm-up event in the build-up to the season's second Grand Slam, having exited the Monte Carlo Masters in the last 16, the Srpska Open in the quarter-finals and the Rome Masters at the same stage.
Given his experience, Djokovic always has a shot at Grand Slams but other individuals could have stronger claims for this year’s title.
Medvedev Primed To Make His Mark
Medvedev was superb in the early stages of 2023, picking up five tournament titles at the Rotterdam Open, Qatar Open, Dubai Tennis Championships and the Miami Open.
Strong performances at those tournaments mean he has a 39-5 record on the ATP Tour this year and he has also shown an ability to perform on clay, winning his first title on the surface earlier this month at the Rome Masters.
On his way to winning in Rome, Medvedev saw off capable clay-court operators Holger Rune, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Zverev and has the added bonus of avoiding Alcaraz in his half of the draw, having been made second seed.
Another to consider to win the clay-court Grand Slam is Denmark’s Rune, who was a quarter-finalist at last year's French Open and was a runner-up at the recent Monte Carlo Masters and Rome Masters.
The 20-year-old is currently ranked six in the world and looks to have a big future ahead of him, having already made over $1.8m in prize money.
HOLGER RUNE TO WIN THE FRENCH OPEN
DANIIL MEDVEDEV TO WIN THE FRENCH OPEN
