Author: Barkha Roy
Carlos Alcaraz’s victory in the second round of the Italian Open secured his position as the number one player in the ATP rankings, even though he suffered a defeat in the next round. As a result, the Spanish tennis player will occupy the first position at the next French Open, marking his first occasion as the highest-ranked participant in a Grand Slam tournament.
The next French Open is scheduled to begin on May 28, with the qualifying rounds underway. The main draw is scheduled to start this Sunday. Unfortunately, the clay-court tournament is missing several players, including defending champion Rafael Nadal, who announced his withdrawal at a press conference last week.
Carlos Alcaraz held the number one ranking during the Australian Open, but was unfortunately forced to withdraw from the tournament due to an injury sustained during training. Considering his exceptional recent performances, the 20-year-old is expected to be a formidable candidate for victory at the clay-court Major.
After his victory in Rome, Daniil Medvedev climbed to second place in the ATP rankings. As a result, the Russian will be the second seed at the French Open and is considered one of the favourites to win due to his impressive 10-2 record on clay this season.
Novak Djokovic’s elimination in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open has resulted in him dropping two places to third in the ATP rankings. As a result, he will be seeded third at this year’s clay major, marking the first time since 2010 that he won’t be in the top two at the French Open.
Due to Rafael Nadal’s absence from the tournament, Novak Djokovic sees a favorable opportunity at Roland Garros and aims to secure his third victory at the tournament, thus reaching a record 23rd Grand Slam title in his career.
Adding to the list of unexpected withdrawals, Andy Murray decided to withdraw from the tournament, following Rafael Nadal’s decision. Murray’s withdrawal took many by surprise, as he had recently expressed his desire to have another opportunity to compete in a clay-court Grand Slam and said he was ready to take part.
Casper Ruud, last year’s runner-up, will be the fourth seed in this year’s tournament. With his good performance and his semi-final appearance in Rome, he is expected to have a promising campaign. In addition, Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2021 runner-up, will be the fifth seed at the 2023 French Open. Due to his exceptional skills on clay courts, he is recognized as another formidable contender for the title.
Elsewhere, in the women’s singles event, Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, once again received the first seed at Roland Garros, as she did last year. Currently holding the world number one title, Swiatek is ready to show off her exceptional skills on the tournament’s clay courts.