The 14-time champion debuts on Monday and the world number three will do so this Sunday
MADRID, 25 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Starting this Sunday, the Spanish tennis players Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz face an uncertain Roland Garros due to the wide distribution of candidates’ tickets, with the flavor of a farewell for the king of the land and the difficulty of a first round against Alexander Zverev.
Even for Nadal, it is a big word to say that it is his last presence in Paris and, in his first press conference at the French Open, he was not able to say it. “I don’t want to force myself to say that it is my last Roland Garros,” said the Spaniard, although so far, everything he has played in 2024 has ended with a goodbye.
The 14-time champion in Paris left that door open, but the European tour has been full of tributes in Barcelona, Madrid and Rome. After a blank 2023, the man from Manacor has tried to recover his physicality and game, a filming that has not completely accompanied him because after returning to Brisbane everything became complicated.
The goal that the Spaniard had set for himself, when precisely a year ago he announced that he would not make it to Roland Garros, was to say goodbye on the slopes. “It is the first week that I feel free to be able to play thinking about the ball and little else, I had been thinking for a long time about what movement I can make and that has weighed me down a lot. I have had a different feeling for a week and a bit and that excites me for to compete,” Nadal confessed.
Thus, and with the stripes that no one else has in the Philippe Chatrier, the Spanish tennis player is confident of bringing out his best version, although he will have to do so from his debut due to a capricious draw. Zverev will be Nadal’s rival in the first round this Monday, recent champion in Rome and again at a high level since he suffered a serious ankle injury against the Spaniard in Paris.
The champion of 22 ‘bigs’ will have a bomb to start, but if he is able to avoid it, everything could seem easier until the round of 16, where he would receive a Holger Rune who has disappointed this season on dirt. Danill Medvedev, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz would be the final fireworks for the title.
The Murcian could only be seen with the Balearic Islands in the final, a match dreamed of by all the Spanish fans and some from abroad. Alcaraz is going through a physically complicated season, hampered by an injury to his right forearm, which has caused him to reach the second ‘big’ of the year with only four games on land, in Madrid.
The one from El Palmar had to give up Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome, but he hopes to find the rhythm since his debut this Sunday against the American Jeffrey John Wolf, with a favorable draw to grow. The champion of two ‘greats’ wants to be among the best again in 2024 with the only good taste in his mouth being to win in Indian Wells, giving up ground for number one.
Djokovic is still at the top and comfortable, although the Serbian also arrives in Paris with doubts due to a disastrous preparation. The one from Belgrade is even further away from his usual numbers, especially after a 2023 that finished as Master for the seventh time and was one victory away from winning the four ‘big ones’ until adding 24, tied with Margaret Court’s record. The deadliest ‘Nole’ was also seen in Monte Carlo, Rome and Geneva, a discreet set-up to defend the title at Roland Garros.
Meanwhile, as number two in the world, Jannik Sinner saw his good moment halted, a spectacular start to the season winning the Australian Open, with an injury that made him withdraw from Madrid and miss Rome. The Italian has been a doubt for Paris and his version is yet to be discovered, as one more unknown for the tournament. Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev are in the pools.
Alejandro Davidovich, Pedro Martínez, Roberto Carballés, Jaume Munar, Roberto Bautista and Pablo Carreño complete the Spanish men’s representation, which in the women’s team will be led by Sara Sorribes, Cristina Bucsa, Jessica Bouzas, Rebeka Masarova, Paula Badosa and Irene Burillo. The range of favorites is smaller here.
The Polish Iga Swiatek has been giving very few options to the rest for two years but her current streak makes her untreatable once again. The world number one has won four WTA 1000 category titles this campaign, with the land of Madrid and Rome included, and she is the clear favorite to win the third Roland Garros in a row, fourth in total.
Her rivalry with the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka could experience a new chapter in Paris, while the American Coco Gauff or the Kazakh Elena Rybakina also start as favorites, until they meet the number one. Sorribes and a Badosa who is trying to leave behind her back problem and better control her emotions on the court are confident of going far.
2024-05-25 18:50:32
#Nadal #Alcaraz #Roland #Garros #unknowns
