HOW THE LEADING MEN’S CONTENDERS AND BEST AUSSIE HOPE SHAPE UP FOR THE FRENCH OPEN:
NOVAK DJOKOVIC (SRB)
Age: 36
Ranking: 1
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US182,011,060
Career titles: 98
Grand slam titles: 24 (Australian Open 2008, 2011-2013, 2015-16, 2019-21, 2023; French Open 2016, 2021, 2023; Wimbledon 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022; US Open 2011, 2015, 2018, 2023)
French Open win-loss record: 92-16
Best French Open result: champion 2016, 2021, 2023; runner-up: 2012, 2014, 2015, 2020
The insatiable Serb is hungry to eclipse Margaret Court’s all-time tally of 24 grand slam singles crowns after gobbling up three of the four majors last year. Would take a brave punter to back against the three-time champ from rebounding from his disappointing Australian Open campaign.
JANNIK SINNER (ITA)
Age: 22
Ranking: 2
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US21,499,280
Career titles: 13
Grand slam titles: 1 (Australian Open 2023)
French Open win-loss record: 8-4
Best French Open result: quarter-finalist 2020
Italy’s highest-ever ranked player has taken his game to a whole new level in 2024, capturing his maiden grand slam in Melbourne, plus two other titles and suffering only two defeats. Seeded to make the final but could face Carlos Alcaraz in the semis.
CARLOS ALCARAZ (ESP)
Age: 21
Ranking: 3
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US28,934,769
Career titles: 13
Grand slam titles: 2 (US Open 2022, Wimbledon 2023)
French Open win-loss record: 11-3
Best French Open result: semi-finalist 2023
Unburdened by being dubbed the next Rafael Nadal, the 21-year-old has already confirmed his rare talents with a rise to world No.1 and two grand-slam triumphs. Yet neither came on clay, his best surface, and it seems inevitable the Spaniard will conquer Roland Garros sooner rather than later.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV (GER)
Age: 27
Ranking: 4
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US41,877,114
Career titles: 22
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 28-8
Best French Open result: semi-finalist 2021, 2022, 2023
The reigning Olympic champion remains the best player in men’s tennis yet to win a slam. But after taking the title in Rome, the German has never looked a better chance to break through. Faces Nadal in a blockbuster opener.
CASPER RUUD (NOR)
Age: 25
Ranking: 7
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US18,889,032
Career titles: 11
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 19-9
Best French Open result: runner-up 2022, 2023
Runner-up to Djokovic last year and to Nadal in 2022, the Norwegian possesses the clay-court game to finally land a maiden major in Paris if things fall his way.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS (GRE)
Age: 25
Ranking: 9
Plays: right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US30,868,143
Career titles: 9
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 22-7
Best French Open result: runner-up 2021
The Greek superstar remains haunted by his loss to Djokovic from two sets up in the Roland Garros final three years ago, but has shown with runs to the final this season in Monte Carlo and Barcelona he is ready to challenge for grand slam spoils again.
BEST OUTSIDER
RAFAEL NADAL (ESP)
Age: 37
Ranking: 276
Plays: left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US134,808,161
Career titles: 92
Grand slam titles: 22
French Open win-loss record: 112-3
Best French Open result: champion 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022
It seems incomprehensible to consider the 14-times champion an outsider but that’s exactly what the 37-year-old is, especially starting against Zverev. Injuries finally seem to have caught up with the baseline colossus and he is without a clay-court title for the first year since turning pro back in 2001.
BEST AUSSIE HOPE
ALEX DE MINAUR
Age: 25
Ranking: 11
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US13,052,042
Career titles: 8
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 3-7
Best French Open result: second round 2019, 2021, 2023
The Sydney-born, Spain-raised talent has surprisingly yet to make his mark in Paris but is seeded to make the last 16 for a first time following a stellar past 12 months during which he reached No.9 in the world in February after claiming a raft of top-10 scalps.
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au