The absence of Rafael Nadal from this year’s French Open marks a significant milestone, as it has been an extraordinary stretch of time since the tournament last took place without him.
To put it into perspective, when Nadal was not competing at Roland Garros, Tony Blair was serving as the British Prime Minister, Carlos Alcaraz was just a baby, and popular platforms like Twitter and Instagram had yet to exist.
Nadal’s dominance on the clay courts of Paris has been nothing short of remarkable. Since his debut victory in 2005, he has triumphed a staggering 14 times, suffered only three defeats, and had to withdraw from the tournament on a single occasion.
His track record at the French Open stands as a testament to his unparalleled skill and success on this particular surface.
Novak Djokovic has emerged as the frontrunner for the French Open, primarily due to his impressive track record at the tournament, with two titles and four additional finals to his name. Furthermore, his astounding collection of 22 Grand Slam titles adds to his favoritism.
Despite turning 36 this week, the Serbian has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to overcome physical challenges and emerge victorious in major tournaments, as seen in his triumph at this year’s Australian Open. However, concerns loom over the condition of his right elbow, raising significant uncertainties regarding his performance at Roland Garros.
Djokovic has suffered defeats to Lorenzo Musetti, Dusan Lajovic and Holger Rune on clay this season but still spoke bullishly about his chances in Paris.
“I know I can always play better,” he said in Rome. “Definitely I am looking forward to working on various aspects of my game, of my body, hopefully getting myself in 100 per cent shape. That’s the goal.
“I always like my chances in grand slams against anybody on any surface, best-of-five (sets).”
Djokovic is increasingly mounting a one-man defence against the younger generation, and 20-year-old Alcaraz reclaimed the world number one ranking from him this week.
Rune, also 20, has established himself as a big-time talent over the past six months while 21-year-old Jannik Sinner is having the best season of his career.
Only Rome champion Daniil Medvedev is within a decade of Djokovic in the top 10, and the Serbian said: “A new generation is here already. Alcaraz is number one in the world. Obviously he’s playing amazing tennis. I think it’s also good for our sport that we have new faces, new guys coming up. It’s normal.
On the women’s side, a top three has emerged this season, with Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka and Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina closing the gap to world number one Iga Swiatek.
The Pole remains a class act on clay in particular but is certainly not as clear a favourite as 12 months ago, when her second French Open title came as part of a 37-match winning run.
The best hope for a strong British run once again is Cameron Norrie, whose top-16 ranking ensures he will avoid other top players in the early rounds.
The withdrawals of Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu are a blow but 21-year-old Jack Draper has recovered from an abdominal problem in time and will look to show his potential on the big stage again.