Jannik Sinner can go far. © ANSA / ETTORE FERRARI
No Novak Djokovic, no Rafael Nadal, no Carlos Alcaraz: The draw for Jannik Sinner on Thursday evening at the French Open could not have gone better.
20. May 2022
From: leo
In recent years, the 20-year-old has not been blessed with lucky draws – most notably at the French Open. The fact that clay court king Nadal inflicted the only two defeats on the South Tyrolean in Roland Garros speaks volumes. This year, a duel with the Spaniard can come at the earliest in the final. The same applies to Djokovic and youngster Alcaraz, who were all drawn to the top half. If everything goes according to plan, Djokovic and Nadal will meet in the quarterfinals. Alcaraz has landed in Alexander Zverev’s quarter.
The big favorite in the lower half of the tableau is last year’s finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas, who meets Lorenzo Musetti in the first round. And sinners? He was very lucky. At the start, Sextner encounters a qualifier, in the second round either Oscar Otte (ATP 60) or Roberto Carballes Baena (ATP 102) is waiting. The opponent should then be Nikoloz Basilashvili (ATP 25), before Andrey Rublev is very likely to be waiting in the round of 16. Because Sinner has always had the Russians under control in previous duels, reaching the quarter-finals does not seem impossible. Should Sinner get that far, he would probably cross clubs with Daniil Medvedev, who has just recovered from an injury. A task that, given the shape of the world number 2. and the substrate appears feasible.
Opponent still uncertain
However, all this is just pie in the sky. Sinner will concentrate fully on the first lap and not look too far ahead. Last year, for example, he was on the verge of being eliminated early on when he had to fend off a match point against Pierre-Hugues Herbert at the start. When and against which qualifier Sinner will play his first match will be decided on Saturday.
