Alcaraz and Sinner, on alert after learning of the Roland Garros draw

The first 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 are also other factors at play in the fight for the title. The trio that have monopolized the sport for the past few months will also enter the battle for the Musketeers Cup, built by the Serbian. Novak Djokovicthe Italian Jannik Sinner and Spanish Carlos Alcaraz. They all face different problems before facing the tournament, from May 26 to June 9.

Djokovic and Sinner They know they won’t meet before the final because the No. 1 leads the draw and the No. 2 closes it. The hype will have to dictate who their hypothetical rivals are in the semifinals. It’s Zverev’s time for the Serbian, as long as he overcomes the formidable obstacle of Nadal on his debut, while there could be a generational classic between the Italian and Carlos Alcaraz, that they will meet in the semifinals if they both reach this round.

Alcaraz, The semi-finalist defeated by Djokovic in 2023, will open against a player from the previous stage, in his reappearance after missing Rome due to an injury to his right arm, the same that prevented him from competing in Monte Carlo and Godó.

In the second, he will cross paths with the British Jack Draper or a ‘worthy’. For the third round, the dangerous American Sebastian Korda. In the round of 16 he will face the explosive North American Ben Shelton or the recovering Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. They are all careful players.

In the quarterfinals, the champion of Madrid, the Russian Andrey Rublev. ‘Semis’ with the Sinner and final, theoretically, against the defender of the crown, Novak Djokovic. To be alert from the start, especially with little competition in recent weeks.

The same for Sinner, who retired in Madrid and did not go to Rome because of a hip injury. His path to Alcaraz also had pitfalls: in the beginning, the American Christopher Eubanks, followed by 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.

Djokovic’s route is the French Pierre-Hugues Herbert, the Spaniard Roberto Carballes or the Frenchman Constant Lestienne in the second. Third with the Italian Lorenzo Musetti or the local Gael Monfils. In the round of 16 he will face the American Tommy Paul, along 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.