History in store for Djokovic, Swiatek
Novak Djokovic will bid for a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title at the French Open without his old rival Rafael Nadal, while Iga Swiatek attempts to become the first woman to defend the title in 16 years.
The French Open gets underway today without injured 14-time champion Nadal, who is absent for the first time since 2004. Djokovic today takes on world number 114 Aleksandar Kovacevic, a player who idolises the veteran Serbian.
Despite the absence of Nadal, who won the previous edition of the year's second Grand Slam, two-time Roland Garros winner Djokovic will not be the favourite for the title after having struggled with an elbow injury so far this season.
Djokovic's rivals
Carlos Alcaraz won the Barcelona and Madrid Opens en route to taking over from Djokovic as world number one, while Daniil Medvedev is seeded second for Roland Garros after his maiden clay triumph in Rome.
Djokovic and Alcaraz are seeded to meet in the semi-finals after being placed in the same half of the draw. The 36-year-old Djokovic may also have to get past Monte Carlo Masters champion Andrey Rublev in the quarters.
The other side of the draw appears wide open, with in-form Medvedev the highest seed despite never having previously got past the quarter-finals on the Paris clay.
Danish youngster Holger Rune, who made a surprise run to last year's quarter-finals, could face Casper Ruud in the last eight in a rematch of a bad-tempered meeting 12 months ago.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, who lost the 2021 final to Djokovic after being two sets up, will be among the likely contenders but has not won a title yet this term -- the longest he has had to wait for a trophy in a season since 2018.
Women's new 'big three'?
The winner of the women's singles is expected to be one of the trio of reigning champion Swiatek, Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, who have won the last four Grand Slam titles between them.
Swiatek, who turns 22 during the tournament, will be the favourite as she chases a third Roland Garros triumph and a first successful women's title defence since Justine Henin won her third French Open in a row in 2007.
Wimbledon champion Rybakina, ranked fourth, could face Swiatek in the Roland Garros semis. Other title hopefuls include last year's runner-up Coco Gauff, Tunisian Ons Jabeur and world number three Jessica Pegula.
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