Carlos Alcaraz enters Roland Garros riding high on confidence after toppling chief rival Jannik Sinner in Rome, but the defending champion expects the rejuvenated Italian – now past his doping ban – to pose an even greater threat in Paris.
Alcaraz and Sinner have landed on opposite sides of the draw, setting up the tantalizing prospect of another marquee final between the sport’s brightest young stars, with the Spaniard climbing back to world No. 2 following his Italian Open triumph.
The 22-year-old has been nearly untouchable on clay this season, winning 15 of 16 matches, lifting the Monte Carlo title, finishing runner-up in Barcelona and capping his run with victory in Rome after skipping Madrid because of a thigh injury.
Alcaraz also holds the edge in their rivalry, winning the last four encounters to lead 7-4, including a five-set classic in last year’s French Open semifinal. Sunday’s victory also snapped Sinner’s 26-match win streak.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz believes the challenge of playing Sinner brings the best out of him.
“He’s the best player in the world. It doesn’t matter that he was out of the tour for three months. Every tournament he’s playing, he plays great. The numbers are there. He wins almost every match he plays,” Alcaraz said.
“If I don’t play at my best, 10 out of 10, it’s going to be impossible to beat him. That’s why I’m more focused when I’m playing against him, or I feel a little bit different when I’m going to face him than other players.
“He has that aura. When you’re seeing him on the other side of the net, it’s different.
“I’m not going to say I’m feeling like when Rafa (Nadal) and Roger (Federer) are playing, but I’m feeling like it’s a different energy when we are facing each other.”
Sinner suffered his first straight-sets loss in 18 months in Rome, underlining his dominance in that time. Equally impressive, though, was his run to the final in his first tournament since retaining the Australian Open title in January.
‘Closer than expected’
“I am closer than expected in a way of everything,” said Sinner, who served a three-month ban after twice testing positive for traces of the banned anabolic steroid clostebol.
Sinner has always maintained the product entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist, who had used a spray containing it to treat a cut.
He eventually reached a settlement after authorities accepted the contamination was accidental and that a longer ban would be an “unduly harsh sanction.”
“After three months, coming here and making this result means a lot to me,” Sinner said after his runner-up finish in Rome. “It gives me, hopefully, confidence to play some good tennis also in Paris.”
Sinner called Alcaraz “the man to beat,” but Alexander Zverev is among the title contenders too after falling just short in last year’s final. Zverev then lost to Sinner in the Australian Open final but does have a clay trophy under his belt this season after winning in Munich.
He made a late decision to enter the Hamburg event this week after losing in the quarterfinals in Rome, searching for a boost after a “very negative” loss to Lorenzo Musetti.
“This can’t be the last match before the French Open. … I need positivity before it starts,” Zverev said.
Djokovic going under the radar
Novak Djokovic will touch down in Paris with limited expectations for a man with a record 24 Grand Slam titles, three of them coming at Roland Garros.
The longtime former world No. 1 has slipped to sixth in the rankings, leaving him vulnerable to a possible quarterfinal against Alcaraz or Sinner, as his wait for a tour-level 100th title goes on. His last came at the Olympics, where he beat Alcaraz on Court Philippe Chatrier to claim an elusive gold medal.
Djokovic skipped Rome after early exits in Monte Carlo and Madrid and is looking to rediscover form by playing in Geneva.
Madrid champion Casper Ruud is a two-time Roland Garros runner-up, while Britain’s Jack Draper ranks a career-best No. 5 after winning at Indian Wells and reaching the Madrid final.
Musetti has also impressed during the clay swing. The Italian lost the Monte Carlo final to Alcaraz and reached the semifinals in both Madrid and Rome.
Holger Rune is the only player to beat Alcaraz on clay this season, but he has struggled with fitness on either side of his Barcelona triumph.