In what may very well be his farewell to the French Open, Rafael Nadal might be up in opposition to Alexander Zverev within the first spherical. File
| Photograph Credit score: AP
Rafa Nadal was handed a troublesome begin to what’s anticipated to be his farewell to the French Open because the report 14-times champion was drawn in opposition to fourth seed Alexander Zverev within the first spherical.
Novak Djokovic will start his quest for a twenty fifth Grand Slam crown in opposition to native hope Pierre-Hugues Herbert, whereas top-ranked Iga Swiatek kicks off her French Open title defence in opposition to a qualifier, after the draw was made on Might 23.
Unseeded Nadal, who missed his favorite Grand Slam event as a result of harm final yr, has plummeted down the rankings throughout an prolonged spell on the sidelines and has mentioned he expects to retire after this season.
The pairing drew an audible gasp within the room and the 2 will meet for the primary time since their 2022 semi-final conflict at Roland Garros which Nadal received after Zverev suffered an harm and retired.
Ought to Nadal win the match, he may face 2021 US Open winner Daniil Medvedev within the quarter finals.
There have been cheers from the viewers when Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka was drawn in opposition to fellow three-time grand slam winner, Briton Andy Murray.
Djokovic has struggled within the first half of 2024 and is but to win a title this yr. The Serbian was knocked out of the Italian Open within the third spherical this month after struggling a freak head harm.
The world primary, who’s competing on this week’s Geneva Open, might be trying to put that disappointment behind him and get his season again on observe in Paris, the place he may meet Casper Ruud within the quarter-finals in a rematch of final yr’s last.
Two-times Grand Slam champion and final yr’s shedding semi-finalist Carlos Alcaraz begins in opposition to a qualifier, whereas newly-crowned Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner faces American Christopher Eubanks.
Within the ladies’s draw, defending champion and world primary Swiatek is in a sizzling streak of kind after profitable each the Madrid Open and Italian Open, and is favorite to say her fourth title at Roland Garros.
Nevertheless, the Pole may face a lot of powerful opponents in her quarter-final, together with four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, Miami Open winner Danielle Collins and Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.
“This season has been has been actually nice already for me,” Swiatek mentioned. “I do know that I can modify to any sort of circumstances even in a brief period of time.”
World quantity two Aryna Sabalenka meets Erika Andreeva whereas Elena Rybakina, who reached the semi-finals in Madrid however was pressured to drag out of Rome as a result of sickness, takes on Belgium’s Greet Minnen.
U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff, who reached the ultimate of the French Open in 2022, will play a qualifier within the first spherical and will face Ons Jabeur in a mouth-watering quarter-final conflict.
