World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in same half of table, several Franco-French duels to come

Without defending champion Rafael Nadal, the men’s draw looks a little more open. The draw carried out on Thursday 25 May confirmed this a little more. Two-time Porte d’Auteuil winner Novak Djokovic and world number one and fellow title contender Carlos Alcaraz were placed in the same half of the table. They could meet in the semifinals.

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Also in this part of the standings is Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, a finalist in 2021. Without a seed, the French contingent could not escape some complicated clashes on paper, including several Franco-French clashes, including Ugo Humbert-Adrian Mannarino or Richard Gasquet-Arthur Rinderknech.

The twelve labors of Alcaraz

His status as the number one seed did not protect Alcaraz from danger. If his entry into the running against a qualifier or a draft should be just a formality, the result will have a completely different aspect. He could cross swords with Canadian Denis Shapovalov (31st in the world) in the 3rd round, then with the formidable Italian Lorenzo Musetti (18th) from the round of 16. And that’s just the appetizer, as no.

The Serbian will begin his career against the American Aleksandar Kovacevic, the 114th player in the world who will play the first match of his career in the Grand Slam. Even Casper Ruud, beaten in the final last year by the great absentee of this edition Rafael Nadal, will find a qualifier or a draft, just like the other scarecrow, Daniil Medvedev. The Norwegian and the Russian could face each other in the semifinals, provided they eliminate young long-toothed wolves in the quarterfinals, respectively Holger Rune (n°6) and Jannik Sinner (n°8).

Three 100% French posters in the 1st round

The French clan will see its two best representatives of the ATP ranking, Ugo Humbert (38th) and Adrian Mannarino (47th) face off in the first round. Richard Gasquet and Arthur Rinderknech, as well as Corentin Moutet and Arthur Cazaux will do the same. The ghost Gaël Monfils (386th) inherited the Argentine Sebastian Baez, before a possible clash with the impetuous Holger Rune in the 2nd round. Worth mentioning among the main manifestos for the Blues: the jackpot for Alexandre Muller (100th) against Jannik Sinner, the electric duel between Benoît Paire (149th) and the British Cameron Norrie (14th), or the challenge that awaits Constant Lestienne (69th) against the 11th player in the world, Russian Karen Khachanov.

The two young promises Arthur Fils (18 years old) and Luca Van Assche (19 years old), finalists of the 2021 junior Roland-Garros, could find themselves in the 2nd round if they overcome Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (n° 29) and the Italian respectively Mauro Cecchinato (73rd), semi-finalist Porte d’Auteuil in 2018.