Carlos Alcaraz’s Roland Garros withdrawal has left the door ajar for many of his ATP peers.
Alcaraz, the two-time defending champion in Paris, has withdrawn from the event after suffering a right wrist injury during his first-round match in Barcelona.
Jannik Sinner, the world number one, is now the clear favourite to win his first Roland Garros title and complete the ‘Career Grand Slam.’
Can anyone now stop Jannik Sinner from winning Roland Garros after Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal?
If yes, who?
With that being said, who else could challenge for the Roland Garros title?
Novak Djokovic
Will Novak Djokovic finally secure that coveted 25th Grand Slam title?
This year’s event could be his best opportunity at doing so. With Carlos Alcaraz out of the picture, the three-time French Open champion is the most likely player [aside from Jannik Sinner] to take advantage.
Djokovic has a wealth of experience to draw upon, and after his heroics at the Australian Open earlier this year, who would bet against the Serbian star reaching yet another Grand Slam final?
Of course, winning the title will be easier said than done, and one name in particular will be hoping to prevent Djokovic from securing a 25th major.
Alexander Zverev
Will Alexander Zverev finally break his Grand Slam duck?
Like Djokovic, Zverev may not have a better opportunity to achieve his primary goal following the withdrawal of Alcaraz.
The German, who John McEnroe labelled as the greatest male player to never win a major title, has thrice been runner-up on the Grand Slam stage.
Zverev last reached a Grand Slam final in 2024, losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final.
With Alcaraz set to be absent from Paris this year, could this finally be Zverev’s moment?
Arthur Fils
Despite being ranked outside of the ATP top 10, Arthur Fils is a surefire contender for the French Open title.
Since returning from long-term injury in February, Fils has been on a tear, achieving excellent results no matter the location or surface.
Most recently, the Frenchman cemented his status as one of the most talented clay-court players on the planet by winning the Barcelona Open.
Is Arthur Fils the next best player after Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner?
Fils has continued to shine in Madrid this week, beating Ignacio Buse and Emilio Nava in his first two rounds.
If Fils can continue to perform at this level, he could be the man to end France’s long wait for a male French Open champion.
The last Frenchman to win the Men’s Singles title in Paris was Yannick Noah in 1983.
Rafael Jodar
One month ago, Rafael Jodar’s name would have been nowhere near this list.
However, the Spaniard has very quickly emerged as one of the hottest prospects on the ATP Tour; and with the form the 19-year-old is currently displaying, he has to be considered a dark horse for the Roland Garros title.
The youngster, who only turned professional at the start of this year, has beaten Cameron Norrie, Tomas Machac and world number six Alex de Minaur in the last month.
He also recently won his first ATP Tour title in Marrakech, beating veteran Marco Trungelliti in the final.
Jodar is already one of the hardest strikers of a ball on the ATP Tour, as demonstrated throughout his most recent victory against Joao Fonseca in Madrid.
Joao Fonseca will be the man to unsettle Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s duopoly over men’s tennis – Prove us wrong!
Should he continue to perform at such a high level, there is no reason why he couldn’t challenge for the Roland Garros title.
