The initial round of the fourteen-time champion Rafael Nadal against the world number 4 and recent winner of the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome, the German Alexander Zverev, attracted attention at the Roland Garros draw ceremony, held this Thursday in Paris.
But there were also other factors at play in the fight for the title. Also entering the fight for the Musketeers Cup is the trio that has monopolized this sport in recent months, formed by the Serbian Novak Djokovicthe Italian Jannik Sinner and spanish Carlos Alcaraz. All of them dealing with different problems before facing the tournament, from May 26 to June 9.
Djokovic y Sinner They knew that they would not meet before a final because No. 1 leads the draw and No. 2 closes it. The hype had to dictate who their hypothetical rivals in the semifinals were. It was Zverev’s turn for the Serbian, as long as he overcomes the imposing obstacle Nadal already in his debut, while there could be a generational classic between the Italian and Carlos Alcaraz, that they would meet in the semifinals if both reach this round.
Alcaraz, semi-finalist beaten by Djokovic in 2023, will open against a player from the previous phase, in his reappearance after being absent in Rome due to an injury to his right forearm, the same one that prevented him from competing in Monte Carlo and Godó.
On Monday he would cross paths with the British Jack Draper or a ‘qualy’. For the third round, the dangerous American Sebastian Korda. In the round of 16 he would face the explosive North American Ben Shelton or the recovered Canadian Happy Auger-Also. All of them careful players.
In the quarterfinals, the Madrid champion, the Russian Andrey Rublev. ‘Semis’ with Sinner and final, theoretically, against the defender of the crown, Novak Djokovic. To be on alert from the beginning, especially with little competition in the previous weeks.
The same for Sinner, who retired in Madrid and did not go to Rome due to a hip injury. His path to Alcaraz also has its pitfalls: to begin with, the American Christopher Eubanks, following the Croatian Borna Coric or the French Richard Gasquet in second, the Argentine Sebastián Baez in third. For the second round, another South American in form, the Chilean Nicolás Jarry. Quarters with the Polish Hubert Hurkacz. And then, Alcaraz and Djokovic.
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Djokovic’s route is the Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, the Spanish Roberto Carballés or the Frenchman Constant Lestienne in second. Third with the Italian Lorenzo Musetti or the local Gael Monfils. In the round of 16 he would face the American Tommy Paul, with the Norwegian Casper Ruud, his victim in the 2023 final, in the quarterfinals. ‘Semis’ with Zverev or Nadal and final features Alcaraz or Sinner.
2024-05-23 13:15:38
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