File – Carlos Alcaraz de Spain famous after winning the final match of his simple against the Alexander Zverev of Germany at the Court Philippe -Chatrier the day fifteen of the Open Tennis tournament from France at the Roland Garros complex in Paris on June 9, 2024. (Photo of Emmanuel Dunand / AFP)
PARIS – Carlos Alcaraz will open its defense of the title of the French Open against the veteran Kei Nishikori and declared that it was “excited” to be back in Paris at the back of an excellent season of clay.
Alcaraz was the dominant player in the weeks leading to Roland-Garros and is the clear favorite after claiming trophies in Barcelona and Rome. Nishikori is a former player among the first five who has difficulty in dirt in recent years.
Read: Open de France: Carlos Alcaraz is wary of Sharper Jannik Sinner
Alcaraz has a 15-1 file on Clay this season. After returning to n ° 2 in the ranking, he cannot play the best sinner Jannik before the Paris final because they are on the opposite sides of the draw.
“It was a big clay season so far,” said Alcaraz after the draw Thursday in Paris. “I am excited. Confidence is really high at the moment. ”
Together, Alcaraz or Sinner have won the last five titles of the Grand Slam.
Back from his three-month doping suspension, the sinner pushed Alcaraz when they met in the Rome final this month, but lost in straight sets. The sinner opens against local hope Arthur Rinderknech.
Alcaraz beat Sinner on five sets in the semi-finals of the French Open last year. Alcaraz then successfully defended his Wimbledon title for his fourth Grand Chelem trophy. Sinner won only one of his 19 career titles on Clay, Umag, Croatia, in 2022 – when he beat Alcaraz in the final.
Read: Carlos Alcaraz expects a French open threat to the “insane” sinner
Novak Djokovic, who finally won a match on Clay this year at the Geneva Open on Wednesday, will face Mackenzie McDonald in the United States in the first round. The champion in the Simple of the Grand Chelem 24 times won the gold medal of the Paris Olympic Games last August in Roland-Garros, but had a hard time on clay since then.
Sinner could meet Jack Draper n ° 5 in the quarterfinals, with other possible clashes featuring Alexander Zverev (3) against Djokovic (6), Taylor Fritz (4) against Lorenzo Musetti (8) and Alcaraz against Casper Ruud (7).
Swiatek in difficulty
The IGA Swiatek, Poland, famous after winning a match against Elisabetta Cocciatto d’Italie during the open tennis tournament WTA Rome in Foro Italico in Rome, May 8, 2025. (Photo by Marco Bertorello / AFP)
In the female draw, the quadruple champion IGA Swiatek is still looking for its best shape.
She fell outside the top four and has not won a title or reached a final since her victory at Roland-Garros last year. Sowing n ° 5 in Paris, Swiatek will open its campaign against Rebecca Sramkova, classified n ° 41. She could meet the former champion of the United States Emma Raducanu in the second round.
“I am proud of my achievements here,” said Swiatek. “I work hard to be ready. For certainly, this season had more ups and downs than in previous years. But I know my game is there. ”
Seed n ° 1, Aryna Sabalenka faces Kamilla Rakhimova while n ° 2 Coco Gauff will face Olivia Gadecki. An interesting match will face Paula Badosa n ° 10 against the quadruple Grand Chelem champion, Naomi Osaka.
The possible quarter -final female finals are Sabalenka against n ° 8 Qinwen Zheng, the finalist last year Jasmine Paolini against Swiatek, Jessica Pegula (3) against Mirra Andreeva (6), and Gauff against Madison Keys (7)
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The French Open begins on Sunday and ends on June 8.
