10 takeaways from the 2026 French Open

 

                                                (Credit: SportJustSport.com)

At the French Open this year, Mirra Andreeva and Alexander Zverev (pictured above) both won their first career grand slam titles. Below are my ten takeaways from the two weeks that were at Roland Garros this year. Ok, let's dive in! 

#1. Alexander Zverev finally gets over the hump:  Alexander Zverev defeated Flavio Cobolli in the men's singles final 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 to win his first career grand slam title. There had been many questions about whether or not Zverev had what it took to win a grand slam title as he is now 29 years of age. This tournament put those questions to rest. Zverev had a fantastic tournament and didn't fold under pressure in the final. Whether or not he wins more grand slams, he'll forever be a 2026 French Open champion. That in and of itself is a huge deal.  

#2. Mirra Andreeva wins her first grand slam as a teenager: In this modern era of tennis, it's rare to see teenagers win grand slams and yet that's exactly what Mirra Andreeva did when she defeated Maja Chwalinska in the women's singles final 6-3, 6-2. At just 19 years of age, Andreeva proved herself to be the best in the entire tournament, only dropping one set all tournament long. It'll be fun to see what the future has in store for Andreeva. I have a feeling this won't be the last time we see her win a grand slam. 

#3. Flavio Cobolli is dangerous on clay: By reaching the final, Flavio Cobolli showed that he is a threat on the clay. He hasn't gotten past the 3rd round at the Australian Open or US Open, so he's got some work to do on the hard court. Grass he's a bit better with back-to-back trips to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, but clay is clearly his best surface. At just 24 years of age, there's no reason to think Cobolli can't one day go all the way at Roland Garros. 

#4. Maja Chwalinska came out of nowhere to reach the final: Maja Chwalinska came out of nowhere to reach the women's singles final. She really did. She's never gotten past the 1st round at the Australian Open and hasn't gotten past the 2nd round at Wimbledon. As for the US Open, this will be the first year she enters the main draw as she got ranked No. 21 after reaching the French Open final. One big run in a grand slam virtually guarantees entrance into the other slams for a full calendar year. Whether or not this was a one off or if she's the real deal remains to be seen, but given she's only 24 years old, odds are good this won't be the last we see of her. 

#5. Jakub Mensik had a breakthrough tournament:  Jakub Mensik reached his first career grand slam semifinal, losing to Alexander Zverev 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6. The 20 year old from the Czech Republic had been coming on strong, getting ranked as high as No. 12 in the world in March. It really does seem like this is just the beginning for Mensik. His 4th round 6-3, 7-6, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3 win over No. 11 Andrey Rublev was super impressive. Mensik should really take a lot of confidence from what he was able to do in Paris. 

#6. Aryna Sabalenka still has work to do on the clay: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka fell in the quarterfinals to Diana Shnaider 6-3, 5-7, 0-6. While she is without a doubt the best hardcourt player in the world, clay remains a work in progress for Sabalenka. She did reach the French Open final in 2025, so she's getting close to breaking through on the dirt, but this year was a reminder that she still has a lot more work to do. 

#7. João Fonseca has a breakthrough tournament, too: 19 year old João Fonseca from Brazil made his first career grand slam quarterfinal, losing to Jakub Mensik 4-6, 3-6, 6-7. While Mensik had a breakthrough tournament of his one, so did Fonseca. There's been a lot of hype surrounding his game. Brad Gilbert has been telling us to keep an eye out for him. This was the first tournament where at a grand slam level, we got to see why. His 4th round 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-2 win over No. 15 Casper Ruud really sent a message. Definitely more to come from this guy. 

#8. Marta Kostyuk is a budding force: Marta Kostyuk, currently ranked No. 11 in the world, reached her first career grand slam semifinal at the French Open this year. The 24 year old Ukrainian is someone who very well might win a grand slam at the rate she's playing at. At the same time, losing to Andreeva in straight sets was a reminder that she still is in need of more improvement. It'll be fun to see how she does in the future. 

#9. Matteo Arnaldi had a breakthrough run: While he ended up having to withdraw from his semifinal match against Cobolli, Matteo Arnaldi still had a fantastic tournament, reaching his first career grand slam semifinal. He's currently ranked No. 35 in the world as a result and truly had the tournament of a lifetime. At 25 years of age, this could be the beginning of something special for him. We'll just have to see what the future holds. But, he should be taking a lot of confidence from the tournament he had in Paris. 

#10. Diana Shnaider had a breakthrough run of her own: 22 year old Diana Shnaider reached her first career grand slam semifinal at the French Open this year. Given how young she is, this was a great tournament for her. She also battled Chwalinska tough in the semifinal, losing 6-7, 4-6, so she could have easily reached the final. It'll be fun to see what she does at Roland Garros next year and also what she does the rest of the season. 

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10 things to look for at the 2026 French Open

 With the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros about to begin in Paris, it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Click here to check out the draws. Ok, let's dive in! 

#1. Will anyone challenge Jannik Sinner? Jannik Sinner comes in as the number one ranked player in the world and with Carlos Alcaraz out with a wrist injury (he'll miss Wimbledon as well), it's fair to wonder if anyone will really challenge Sinner. Sinner and Alcaraz are clearly the top two players in the world and so if one of them goes down, the other is going to be the heavy favorite. It'll be interesting to see who gives Sinner the biggest challenge in this year's event. There's certainly an opportunity for a lot of guys, but the question is, will anyone capitalize? 

#2. Can Elina Svitolina build on her title in Rome? At the Italian Open on the women's side, world No. 7 Elina Svitolina defeated No. 4 Coco Gauff in the final 6-4, 6-7, 6-2. Svitolina is coming into Roland Garros with a lot of momentum, but she's never won a grand slam before and the furthest she's gone at Roland Garros is the quarterfinals. She's reached the quarterfinals five times, so she's comfortable getting to that point, but reaching the semifinals is another story. It would be cool if Svitolina could at least make the semis. If she can do that, who knows? Maybe this will be there year she finally breaks through to win a slam. 

 #3. Can Casper Ruud build on his run to the final in Rome? One guy to keep an eye on is Casper Ruud, who is coming in ranked No. 16 in the world and the 15 seed. He made a run to the final at the Italian Open in Rome and fell to Sinner in straights sets 4-6, 4-6. Even though he lost, those were close sets. I look forward to seeing how much confidence Ruud takes from his performance in Rome. 

#4. Can Aryna Sabalenka win a French Open title? Coming in ranked No. 1 in the world on the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka is still eying her first French Open title. She got close last year, losing to Coco Gauff in the final 7-6, 2-6, 4-6. I feel like at some point, Sabalenka will break through to win at Roland Garros, but she still has to go out and do it. 

#5. Can Alexander Zverev make the most of this opportunity? If there was ever a time for Alexander Zverev to win a grand slam, this would be it. With Alcaraz out, Zverev is the number two seed in the tournament and he's done well on clay, reaching the final at Roland Garros in 2024. Zverev has to feel like he has a great opportunity in front of him, but time and time again, he finds a way to disappoint. Perhaps this year will be different. If he wants to finally break through and go all the way, odds are good he'll be facing Sinner in the final and there's also a good chance he'll have to defeat Novak Djokovic as well. All of this is to say even with Alcaraz out, Zverev still has his work cut out for him. 

#6. Can Coco Gauff defend her title? Coco Gauff is ranked No. 4 in the world and as I posted earlier, she won the French Open last year, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final. Being the defending champion puts more of a target on your back and more pressure. If Gauff is able to defend her crown, that will speak volumes about what kind of player she's become. We already know she's really good given she's won the French Open and US Open (2023), but if she actually wins a grand slam back-to-back years? That's the stuff legends of the game are known for having done.  

#7. Can Novak Djokovic go all the way? Given he's on the same half of the draw as Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic has to feel like he could get back to the final at Roland Garros. He's the number three seed and the number four ranked player in the world. If Djokovic is able to upset Zverev and reach the final, that would certainly make for an entertaining final assuming Sinner is waiting on the other side.

#8. Can Elena Rybakina win her second grand slam of the year? Elena Rybakina comes in ranked No. 2 in the world and as the defending Australian Open champion.  Hard court and clay are different surfaces, yes. But even so, Rybakina is still coming with a good deal of confidence having won the first grand slam of the year. The furthest Rybakina has gone at Roland Garros is the quarterfinals in 2021 and 2024, she did win Wimbledon back in 2022, so she's shown an ability to win a grand slam away from the hard courts. If she can somehow go the distance this year, all she'll need is the US Open to complete the career slam. 

#9. Can Ben Shelton or Felix Auger-Aliassime reach the quarterfinals?  Ben Shelton comes in as the No. 5 player in the world while Felix Auger-Aliassime comes in ranked No. 6. Both guys have reached the 4th round at Roland Garros before, but neither has been able to go beyond that point. On paper, they should reach the quarterfinals, but clay is always harder for some guys and it's the least predictable surface. If these guys aren't able to reach the quarterfinals, we could be looking at a very interesting quarterfinal draw. 

 #10. Can Iga Swiatek win a fifth Roland Garros? No. 3 Iga Swiatek is gunning for her fifth Roland Garros title after winning in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Make no mistake, the French Open is Iga Swiatek's best grand slam. She is yet to win the Australian Open and she hasn't won Wimbledon or the US Open more than once. Given her success on the clay, it would be foolish to rule out Swiatek. 

Prediction:  On the men's side, I have to go with Jannik Sinner. He's been the best in the world and with Carlos Alcaraz sidelined, it's really hard seeing anyone beat Sinner. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I have to roll with Sinner. As for the women's side, give me Iga Swiatek. She's won this event four times and I don't think she's done winning at Roland Garros. Even though she's No. 3 in the draw, she should be the No. 1 among all the favorites. 

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Gaël Monfils to retire after 2026 season

 

                          

                                             (Credit: Julien Crosnier/FFT) 

Earlier this week, French tennis star Gaël Monfils announced on social media that he will retire after the 2026 season. Monfils made the following statement: 

"I held a racket in my hands for the first time at two and a half, and began playing professionally at 18. Now, after celebrating my 39th birthday just a month ago, I’d like to share that the year ahead will be my last as a professional tennis player.

"The opportunity to turn my passion into a profession is a privilege I have cherished during every match and moment of my 21-year career. Though this game means the world to me, I am tremendously at peace with my decision to retire at the end of the 2026 tennis season.

"Mostly, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude. I’d like to express it to so many people:

"To my wife, Elina: my love, inspiration, and strength – and an exceptional player in her own right. To my daughter Skai: for the profound love, meaning, and joy she has added to my days. To my brother Daryl and my sisters Roddie and Maelie, for lifting me up during tough times and helping me celebrate the good ones. 

"To my best friends and loved ones, whose faces in the stands have always given me courage when it counted the most. To my longtime agent Nicolas, whose support and friendship helped me reach the highest highs and ride out the lowest lows. 

"To my coaches and team members over the years, who believed in a lanky kid from Paris and who have helped nurture my talent in ways I could never have imagined. To every person who ever cheered or shouted ‘Allez Gaël!’ in real life or at a TV screen: your energy and love are truly everything to me. To the French Tennis Federation for their unwavering support since Day One. 

"To Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon, and Richard Gasquet, my three musketeers and best friends for life. And most of all, to my parents: because all of this would have been impossible — unthinkable, even — without them. Papa, Maman, look how far we’ve come.

"While I came close, I never did win a Grand Slam during my career. I won’t pretend that I expect to do so during the next year. ‘You could have, you should have…’ As those who know me can attest, I’ve never thought this way, and frankly I’m far too old to start doing so now. Life is too short. Believe me when I say that I have no regrets.

"What I do have is the feeling that I have been lucky: insanely, stupidly lucky. I’ve had the chance to play during a golden age of tennis, alongside some of the greatest names in the history of our sport: Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray. Even losing feels epic when you’re facing a legend.

"Looking ahead, I have only one goal: to enjoy every minute, and to play each match like it’s my last."

Monfils got ranked as high as No. 6 in the world in November of 2016 and for a little while was knocking on the door to win a grand slam, reaching the semifinals of the French Open in 2008 and the semifinals of the US Open in 2016. He also reached the quarterfinals twice at the Australian Open in 2016 and 2022. Only Wimbledon has he never figured out, reaching the 4th round just the once in 2018. 

While he was never able to win a grand slam, Monfils still had a strong career. For many years, he was in the mix and was always a crowd favorite. He plays the game with a lot of flair and passion, which you can't help but love if you enjoy the sport. I feel like he's been especially fun to watch on clay given his length and sliding. There are so many difficult balls he has gotten to over the course of his career. 

I think what's most amazing is that at 39 years of age, Monfils is currently ranked No. 48 in the world. He became the oldest ATP Tour singles champion earlier this year at 38 years and 132 days old when he won the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. On top of that, he reached the 4th round at the Australian Open earlier this year as well. The fact that he's playing as well as he is at his age speaks to the dedication he has to his craft. Few players are able to compete at such a high level so late in life. His longevity more than anything else is something he should be proud of. 

Looking ahead to 2026, it'll be fun to see how Monfils does in his final season on tour. Given how he did at the Australian Open this year, there's a chance he makes his way into the second week of a grand slam at least once. Of course, the tournament where there will be the most buzz is the French Open. If he can find a way to make the 4th round in Paris next year, you know the place will be bursting with excitement. 

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Carlos Alcaraz shows incredible fight in Roland Garros title

 

                                              (Credit: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters) 

 (2) Carlos Alcaraz defeated (1) Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6 to win the men's singles title at Roland Garros. It is Alcaraz's fifth grand slam title and his second consecutive French Open title. Despite getting down 0-2, Alcaraz came back to win three straight sets, crushing Sinner's soul in the process. It was an unbelievable performance that I think is the greatest yet that we've ever seen from Alcaraz. 

Coming back down from 0-2 down is simply amazing, but what made it even more incredible is it was the longest final in the history of the French Open. The amount of fight that Alcaraz showed was on another level. So many times he could have thrown in the towel and given up, but he dug deep and found a way to pull it out in the end. He even had to fend off three championship points. 

A major reason why Alcaraz was able to pull off the comeback was his ability to up his aggression. In the first two sets, he and Sinner were tied with 20 winners each. In the final three sets, Alcaraz was +17 in winners (50-33). His ability to take more chances and not allow Sinner to control the pace made a huge difference. Had Alcaraz not played with that same level of aggression in the final three sets, he wouldn't have pulled this out. 

Of course, even with that increased aggression, it was still a dogfight until the very end with the final two sets being tiebreakers. Sinner made Alcaraz earn it. This was not a case of Sinner choking. This was the two best players in the world going at it and unfortunately only one of them can win. 

What makes this title extra special for Alcaraz is the fact that fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal was honored before the tournament with a special ceremony and unveiling of a plaque that bears his footprint and record number of Roland Garros titles (14) on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Winning the French Open this year is the best tribute that Alcaraz could have given to Nadal. That I'm sure has to feel very satisfying. 

All around, this was a fantastic two weeks for Carlos Alcaraz. He's quickly establishing himself as an all-time great and he's only 22 years of age. It's just getting started for him and that's something that should have the rest of the ATP Tour shaking in their boots. 

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Coco Gauff finally goes the distance at Roland Garros

                                              (Credit: Thibuad Moritz/AFP via Getty Images) 

In the women's singles final (2) Coco Gauff defeated (1) Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 to win the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros. It is Gauff's second career grand slam title and first French Open title. Gauff's first grand slam title came at the 2023 US Open in which she also defeated Sabalenka in three sets: 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. 

At just 21 years of age, Gauff is one of the best all-around players in the game. A lot of American players her age struggle away from the hard courts, but due to spending a lot of time on the clay growing up, Gauff is perhaps even better and more comfortable on the clay. What really allowed her to beat Sabalenka was her patience and ability to let Sabalenka be the one to make mistakes. Sabalenka had 70 unforced errors during the match to Gauff's 30. Of the 119 points she won, 58.8% were due to those unforced errors by Sabalenka. That is a crazy stat.

Even though she grew up playing a lot of clay tournaments, Gauff still had to pay her dues to win her first French Open. In 2019, she didn't get out of the qualifying rounds. In 2020, she lost in the second round. In 2021, she reached the quarterfinals. In 2022, she reached the final, making it seem like a French Open title was imminent. But then in 2023, she lost in the quarterfinals and then in 2024 she lost in the semifinals. We all knew she was knocking on the door, but there were still questions about when she would break through on the dirt. Make no mistake, Gauff has worked extremely hard to improve her clay court tennis and she finally got rewarded by winning it all this year. 

In some respects, the final was a microcosm of what Gauff's Roland Garros journey has been like. She could have thrown in the towel after dropping that first set, but instead she kept on fighting and believing. She trusted the process and her approach to the game without wavering. Such an approach is especially beneficial on clay. If she keeps playing like this, I definitely see more French Open titles in her future. 

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Top 5 contenders entering second week of 2025 Roland Garros: Women's singles

 

                                             (Aryna Sabalenka. Credit: Getty Images) 

The second week of the French Open at Roland Garros is about to get started and there are 16 women left in the draw. Click here to check out the draw if you haven't already done so. Below is my list of top five contenders left on the women's side. Click here to check out who I got on the men's side. Okay, away we go! 

#1. Iga Świątek (Poland): Iga Świątek is the No. 5 seed in the tournament, but she's still number one on my list of contenders. She's a four-time champion at Roland Garros, having won three straight titles. She hasn't dropped a set all tournament and is really on cruise control through three rounds. It will get tougher for her starting with her fourth round match against No. 12 Elena Rybakina, but so long as she's still in the tournament, Swiatek has to be my favorite to win it all on the women's side. 

#2. Jasmine Paolini (Italy): Jasmine Paolini is the No. 4 seed in the tournament, but she's number two on my list of contenders. She reached the final at Roland Garros last year and is coming in with a lot of momentum having won the Italian Open in Rome. If Swiatek is going to go down to anybody, Paolini in the quarterfinals would be my bet. It's a shame they couldn't at least meet in the semifinals, but the draws go off the rankings and this is what we got. 

#3. Coco Gauff (United States): Coco Gauff is the No. 2 seed in the tournament and has proven herself to be a dangerous clay court player. She reached the final in 2022 at Roland Garros and during this clay season, she reached the final in Madrid and Rome. She's got a pretty favorable draw to reach the final and if she gets there, she should feel confident in her abilities to win it all. 

#4. Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus): Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the No. 1 seed, but given she's never won the French Open before, I have to have her lower on my list. She reached the semifinals back in 2023, so she's shown she can compete on the clay, but a lot of great hard court players have maxed out at that point. One thing that does help Sabalenka is her draw is pretty favorable. Her fourth round match is against No. 16 Amanda Anisimova and then her projected quarterfinal match would be against No. 8 Qinwen Zheng. Sabalenka should feel really confident in her abilities to reach the semifinals. But can she go beyond that? That's the question. 

#5. Mirra Andreeva (Russia): No. 6 Mirra Andreeva rounds out my list. She just turned 18, so she's got plenty of tennis ahead of her. Still, she's showing no signs of wanting to delay success. She reached the semifinals at Roland Garros last year and so far hasn't dropped a set this tournament. A lot of people feel she can go the distance. If she does, given her youth, that would be quite a story. 

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Top 5 contenders entering second week of 2025 Roland Garros: Men's singles

 

                                             (Jannik Sinner. Credit: Susan Mullane/Imagn Images) 

The second week of the French Open at Roland Garros is about to get started and there are 16 men left in the draw. Click here to check that out if you haven't already done so. What I will do is share who I think the top five contenders are left in the tournament based on what we have seen up to this point. Click here to see who I got on the women's side. Okay, let's dive in! 

#1. Carlos Alcaraz (Spain): Despite coming is as the No. 2 seed behind Jannik Sinner, I still have Carlos Alcaraz as the favorite to win it all. He's dropped a couple sets along the way so far to Fabian Marozsan in the second round and Damir Dzumhur in the third round, but aside from that it's been pretty smooth sailing. Honestly, Alcaraz has a pretty clear path to the final. No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz getting bounced in the first round and No. 7 seed Casper Ruud getting bounced in the second round really opened things up for Alcaraz. I expect him to take full advantage. 

#2. Jannik Sinner (Italy): No. 1 Jannik Sinner is number two on my list. He hasn't dropped a set through three rounds and is really cooking with gas right now. A quarterfinal match with No. 5 Jack Draper could get interesting should Draper get through and then No. 3 Alexander Zverev is still in it as a possible semifinal opponent. Sinner's draw is tougher than Alcaraz's draw, but he's still the favorite to reach the final on that half of the draw. It'll be interesting to see if Sinner does indeed get to the final and if he does, whether or not he drops a set or more along the way. 

#3. Jack Draper (Great Britain): Even though he's the No. 5 seed, I got Jack Draper third on my list. He is playing the best clay court tennis of his career right now, dispatching of Brazilian hot shot Joao Fonseca in straight sets in the third round. A quarterfinal match against Sinner would be tough, but given the way he's playing on the dirt, not just at Roland Garros, but all clay season (final in Madrid; quarterfinals in Rome), I think Draper has earned the right to be number three on my list. He's looking mighty dangerous or as the British like to say, the real McCoy. 

#4. Novak Djokovic (Serbia): Despite being the No. 6 seed, Novak Djokovic is looking really strong right now. He hasn't dropped a set and is a three-time French Open champion. With each passing match, he's looking more and more strong. Some might want to put Zverev ahead of Djokovic, but given Djokovic's championship pedigree, I gotta give him the nod. Djokovic is facing unseeded Cameron Norrie in the fourth round, so we should on paper see a Djokovic/Zverev quarterfinal match. That should be an interesting match should everything hold. 

#5. Alexander Zverev (Germany): Rounding out my top five is No. 3 Alexander Zverev. He reached the final last year and is still in search of his first grand slam title. He has a tough draw in front of him with Djokovic and Sinner on his half of the draw, but in order to be the best, you need to beat the best. I think the challenge for Zverev is simply having to go through those two guys to reach the final and then have the prospect of facing Carlos Alcaraz in the final. One thing is for certain: If Zverev does go all the way, he will have earned it. 

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Rafael Nadal gets warm tribute at Roland Garros

 

                                             (Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images) 

On Sunday, 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal got a warm tribute at Roland Garros that involved his contemporaries Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray joining him on the clay. The ceremony took place on Court Philippe-Chatrier, where a plaque was unveiled on the court with his footprint and number of French Open titles engraved on it. 

(Credit: RafaelNadalFans.com) 

While Nadal was a great all-around player, winning 22 grand slams and winning each grand slam (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open) at least twice, it was the French Open that he dominated like nobody else (man or woman). I know records are meant to be broken, but there is a very live possibility that Nadal's 14 French Open titles stands the test of time. Not just in terms of being the most French Open titles, but the most titles that anyone has at any of the other grand slams. 

Between his first French Open title in 2005 and his final French Open title in 2022, there were just four years in those 18 years that Nadal didn't win it. He had a winning percentage of 77.8%. Not a match winning percentage. A tournament winning percentage. His match record was 112-4, which is good for a 96.6% winning percentage. That is nuts. 

Given that ridiculous level of dominance, it is only fitting that Roland Garros gave him such an amazing tribute. He legitimately is a talent on the clay that Paris and the world may never see again. When you have people like that in your midst, you need to do all you can to give them their due and honor them. Words honestly cannot fully express just how amazing Nadal's dominance at Roland Garros was. It's other worldly. 

While the tennis world and especially Roland Garros will miss watching Nadal play, it's comforting to know that his footprint and 14 titles is forever etched into the dirt that he played so gracefully on. Nadal may not go down in history as the greatest all-around tennis player, but one thing is indisputable: He's the King of Clay and forever will be. 

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10 things to look for at the 2025 French Open

 

 

The French Open at Roland Garros in Paris is set to begin this upcoming week, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Click here for the draws in case you haven't gotten a chance to look at that and do feel free to scroll through the blog for some recent content that is French Open related. Okay, let's dive in! 

#1. Can Jannik Sinner build on his Italian Open success? While he came up short in the final to Carlos Alcaraz, world number one Jannik Sinner did reach his first career final at the Italian Open earlier this month. That should give Sinner a lot of confidence as he is set to begin his quest for a French Open title. If Sinner does win the French Open, I think we'll be able to look back on his performance in Rome as a catalyst. 

#2. Can Coco Gauff go the distance for the first time? Coco Gauff comes in as the number two seed in the women's draw and has been knocking on the door at Roland Garros. She reached the final back in 2022 and reached the semifinals last year. Earlier this month, she reached the final of the Italian Open, so she's continuing to be a major threat on the dirt. At some point, she'll win a French Open. It's just matter of her having that breakthrough tourney. Will this be the year? That's the question. 

#3. Can Carlos Alcaraz defend his title? Carlos Alcaraz comes in as the number two seed and defending champion on the men's side. He won the Monte-Carlo Masters and Italian Open, so he's coming into Roland Garros with a ton of momentum. He's the favorite to win the French Open, but this time he has to deal with the pressure that comes with being the defending champion. It'll be fun to see how he handles that extra pressure. 

#4. Can Iga Świątek overcome her seed to defend her crown? Iga Świątek comes in as the number five seed in the tournament while also having won three straight French Opens and four overall. If you look at her success at Roland Garros, Swiatek is the clear favorite. When you look at her seed and consider the fact that she lost in the 3rd round at the Italian Open, there is room for some doubt. Personally, I think she'll be motivated to prove that she's still the best clay court player in the world. The fact that she'll have a bit of a chip on her shoulder could make her even more dangerous. 

#5. Can Aryna Sabalenka win a grand slam away from the hard courts? Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the number one seed and top player in the world on the women's side. However, she's never won a French Open or Wimbledon. The furthest she's gone at the French Open is the semifinals in 2023. At some point, she needs to prove she can win a grand slam on other surfaces after being a dominant force on the hard courts. She did win the Madrid Open on clay earlier this year, so that should give her some confidence to have her breakthrough moment at Roland Garros. 

#6. Can Novak Djokovic pull a rabbit out of his hat? Even though he's the number six seed, Novak Djokovic had a rough clay season, losing in the second round in both Madrid and Monte-Carlo while skipping Rome. If Djokovic is able to reach the semifinals, that would be phenomenal given his recent results. I wouldn't bet on it, but at the same time, you can never count the Joker out. He's always a threat. 

#7. Can Jasmine Paolini build on her Italian Open title to win Roland Garros? Jasmine Paolini comes in as the number four seed, fresh off a title at the Italian Open. Paolini reached the final at Roland Garros last year and should be feeling confident in her ability to go the distance this year. She's got a lot of momentum and is playing excellent tennis at the moment. 

#8. Can Alexander Zverev make a serious run? Alexander Zverev comes in as the number three seed and reached the final last year. However, he went out in the second round at Monte-Carlo, the fourth round at Madrid, and the quarterfinals at the Italian Open. I guess he's making progress and picking up a bit of steam, so maybe he'll make some more noise than I think. It certainly will be interesting to see how he does after having a lukewarm clay season coming in. 

#9. Can Jessica Pegula make some noise? Jessica Pegula comes in as the number three seed, so on paper she should be a favorite to reach the semifinals. That being said, she only has one quarterfinal appearance at Roland Garros back in 2022 and she didn't play Roland Garros last year. I'd say odds are well above 50% that she exits in somewhere between the first and fourth round, especially after she had back-to-back third round exits in Madrid and Rome (Italian Open). But hey, maybe she'll surprise me. 

#10. What will happen to Casper Ruud? Casper Ruud comes in as the number seven seed with clay results kind of all over the map. He reached the semifinals at Roland Garros last year and then this year, he lost in the 3rd round at Monte-Carlo, lost in the quarterfinals in Rome, and then won it all in Madrid. I could buy any number of results from Ruud at this year's French Open. I'll be very interested to see where the chips fall for him. 

Prediction: On the men's side, I got Carlos Alcaraz going the distance. He's playing the best clay tennis of anyone and comes in with a lot of momentum having won the Italian Open and Monte-Carlo Masters. I fully expect him to defend his title. As for the women's side, even though she's had a down clay court season and is seeded where she is, I still gotta pick Iga Swiatek to pull through and defend her crown. She's been the best clay player in the women's game these past few years and deserves to be treated as the favorite given her overall body of work. 

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Which Italian Open champion is more likely to win at Roland Garros: Carlos Alcaraz or Jasmine Paolini?

 

                                             (Credit: sportsdigest.in) 

In Rome, (3) Carlos Alcaraz defeated (1) Jannik Sinner 7-6, 6-1 to win the men's singles title at the Italian Open while (6) Jasmine Paolini defeated (4) Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-2 to win the women's singles title. Recently, I did a blog post breaking down the success rate of Italian Open champions at the French Open at Roland Garros. Click here to check that out in case you missed it. 

With that blog post in mind, I'll now address which Italian Open champion is more likely to win at Roland Garros: Carlos Alcaraz or Jasmine Paolini. Both had fantastic performances in Rome while also having a tall task in front of them to follow up a title in Rome with a title in Paris. 

To start the debate, let me first state that Alcaraz and Paolini each had strong performances at Roland Garros last year. Alcaraz won his first French Open title defeating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 while Paolini reached the final, losing to Iga Swiatek 6-2, 6-1. Both players should be feeling confident going into Roland Garros with an Italian Open championship in hand while also having the performances they did a year ago. 

That said, Alcaraz is ranked higher than Paolini and he is the defending champion while Paolini came up a tad short last year. Not only did she come up short, but she did so against Iga Swiatek, who has won four French Open titles and three French Open titles in a row (2022-24). Swiatek is the top clay player in the women's game right now and you know she'll be hungry to bounce back from her 3rd round exit at Rome and defend her Roland Garros title. 

Another factor to consider is the Italian Open is Alcaraz' second 1000 masters title on clay this season while it's the only one for Paolini. At the Madrid Open, Paolini lost in the 3rd round while Alcaraz won the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. Alcaraz has shown more consistency during this clay season while Paolini had a less than stellar performance in Madrid. 

Overall, I think if you have to pick between the two, Carlos Alcaraz is more likely to win the French Open this year than Jasmine Paolini. He's had an even stronger clay court season and I think on paper is the favorite whereas I think despite her performance at Rome, Iga Swiatek is still the favorite on the women's side. This of course doesn't mean Paolini isn't a major threat to win it all in Paris. She'll be coming in with a lot of momentum and confidence and then hey, while she didn't win it all last year, she did reach the final. Outside of Swiatek, Paolini is arguably your favorite. It's just that on the men's side, Alcaraz is the favorite. It certainly will be interesting to see how both do at the French Open and whether or not they'll be able to back up their titles in Rome with a title in Paris. 

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Will meeting Pope Leo XIV be a blessing to Jannik Sinner?

 

                                             (Credit: Vatican Media) 

Earlier this week, the same day that I was in Rome touring the Vatican with my family, world number one Jannik Sinner met with newly elected Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. The Pope apparently is a big tennis fan and given that Sinner is an Italian playing in the Italian Open this week, it made sense for the two of them to meet. 

Sinner is currently still alive in the Italian Open, playing in the semifinals on Friday against No. 12 Tommy Paul. If he wins the Italian Open, one will have to wonder if meeting the Pope gave Sinner a bit of an emotional boost. Of course, Sinner came in as the favorite anyways. Both due to being number one and also being the hometown favorite. In truth, winning the Italian Open may not be much of an indicator of the Holy Father blessing his tennis skills. 

However, winning the Italian Open and French Open back-to-back is no easy task and Sinner is still in search of his first title at both events. The furthest he's gone at the Italian Open is the semifinals (this year) and the furthest he's gone at the French Open is the semifinals (2024). If Sinner were to win both this year for the first time, especially after meeting the Pope, one will have to wonder if something divine is at work. 

Regardless of how the Italian Open and French Open go for Sinner, it's pretty cool he got to meet the Pope. Meeting the Pope just goes to show how big of a deal he is as the only Italian to be ranked number one in the world in tennis. I guess if you have that accomplishment under your belt, it'll be pretty easy to get a VIP trip to the Vatican. Even if your last name is "Sinner." 

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How often does success in Rome lead to success in Paris?

                                               (Credit: internazionalibnlditalia.com) 

This week is the Internazionali BNL D'Italia a.k.a. Italian Open in Rome, Italy. Played on clay, it's the final ATP 1000 & WTA 1000 event before the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France. To check out the tournament website, click here. 

Since I am currently traveling in Italy, I thought it would be fun to take a look at how often success in Rome leads to success in Paris. I.e. How often does winning the Italian Open translate to winning the French Open? To keep things somewhat current/modern, I'll focus on the years 1990 to the present day. 

Starting with the men's side, the following players have won both the Italian Open and French Open in the same season since 1990: Jim Courier (1992), Thomas Muster (1995), Rafael Nadal (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2018, & 2019). 

As for men who at least reached the French Open final after at least reaching the Italian Open final since 1990, we can add the following to the list already posted: Jim Courier (1993 won Italian; lost French), Gustavo Kuerton (2000 & 2001 lost Italian; won French), Roger Federer (2006 lost Italian; lost French), Novak Djokovic (2012 lost Italian; lost French), Novak Djokovic (2014, 2015, & 2020 won Italian; lost French), Novak Djokovic (2016 & 2021 lost Italian; won French), Andy Murray (2016 won Italian; lost French), and Alexander Zverev (2024 won Italian; lost French). 

Switching gears to the women's side, the following players have won both the Italian Open and French Open in the same season since 1990: Monica Seles (1990), Serena Williams (2002 & 2013), Maria Sharapova (2012), and Iga Swiatek (2022 & 2024). 

As for women who at least reached the French Open final after at least reaching the Italian Open since 1990, we can add the following to the list already posted: Monica Seles (1991& 1992 lost Italian; won French), Kim Clijsters (2003 won Italian; lost French), Svetlana Kuznetsova (2009 lost Italian; won French), Serena Williams (2016 won Italian; lost French), Simona Halep (2017 lost Italian; lost French), and Simona Halep (2018 lost Italian; won French). 

One other crazy stat I wanted to point out is Conchita Martinez won the Italian Open from 1993-96. Not once did she reach the French Open final during those years. Her lone trip to the final at Roland Garros wouldn't come until 2000 where she lost to Mary Pierce 6-2, 7-5. Ironically, the only grand slam Martinez won was Wimbledon in 1994. Given Martinez got ranked as high as No. 2 in the world during that four year stretch, you would think she would have won at least French Open, let alone reach a French Open final. 

Looking at all of this big-picture, there's a decent amount of seasons where players have won both the Italian Open and French Open in the same year since 1990: 10 on the men's side and six on the women's side. However, the number of players who have done it is much lower since Nadal did it eight times alone. Only three men have done it and only four women have done it. However, there is a solid amount who have at least reached the final in both. 

I think it's safe to say that while it is far from a guarantee that winning the Italian Open will lead to winning the French Open in the same season, it's still a good thing to have a strong performance in Rome. If you perform well there, you'll come to Paris with a lot of momentum and confidence. It'll certainly be interesting to see how this week goes in Rome and whether or not this year's champions will be able to add their name to the list of players who have won both the Italian Open and French Open in the same season. 

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Carlos Alcaraz looking like the favorite to win Roland Garros in 2025

 

                                              (Credit: Susan Mullane/Imagn Images) 

The next grand slam on the docket is the French Open at Roland Garros. On the men's side, world number three Carlos Alcaraz is looking like an early favorite to defend his title. So far, he is 24-5 on the season and has won two titles, one of which is the ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo, which is played on the clay in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Alcaraz defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the final 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 really taking control in the final two sets. In his next event after Monte-Carlo, Alcaraz lost in the final to Holger Rune 6-7, 2-6. That was also on the clay at the ATP 500 event Barcelona Open. 

As of late, Alcaraz is looking great on the clay and building a lot of momentum as he looks ahead to the French Open. While we still have a month to go before the tournament starts, Alcaraz definitely is looking strong. He has won one one of the top clay events going into the French Open and also had really strong performance in Barcelona. 

The big thing for Alcaraz right now is to keep this up. The ATP 1000 events in Madrid and Rome area also key clay court events that precede the French Open. If he can win one of those two events, that would be huge as he continues to build momentum. It'll be interesting to see how he does and whether or not he still enters the French Open with the same kind of momentum that he currently seems to have. 

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10 things to take away from the 2024 French Open

 

                                             (Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports) 

The 2024 French Open is now behind us, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were in Paris. Let's get after it!

#1. Carlos Alcaraz is nearing a career grand slam: Carlos Alcaraz defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to win the men's final. This is Alcaraz's third grand slam singles title at his third different grand slam. He won Wimbledon last year and the US Open in 2022. He just needs to win the Australian Open to complete the career slam and he's just 21 years of age. That's crazy. I can't say I'm surprised though as he was my pick to win it all on the men's side. He's a becoming a superstar before our eyes. This almost certainly won't be the last French Open he wins. 

#2. Iga Świątek is the princess of clay: Chris Evert is still the queen of clay with her record seven French Open titles on the women's side, but after winning her fourth French Open title this year, Iga Świątek has earned the title of princess of clay and yes, she was my pick on the women's side. At just 23 years of age, she's got a great chance to surpass Evert's record and who knows, maybe she'll give Rafael Nadal's all-time record of 14 French Open titles a run for its money, too. By the way, if you didn't the result, Świątek defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1 in the final. 

#3. Novak Djokovic's summer is in doubt: Novak Djokovic had to pull out after winning his 4th round match due to tearing the medial meniscus in his right knee. He underwent surgery afterwards, making his Wimbledon in doubt. It'll be interesting to see if he gives it a go in London or if he'll skip it so as to gear up for the US Open. 

#4. Coco Gauff continues to be a legit threat on the clay: Coco Gauff fell to Iga Świątek in the semifinals. There's no shame in that. Her last four French Opens have ended in the quarterfinals, final, quarterfinals, and now semifinals. If there's anyone that's going to challenge Świątek in the years to come for French Open titles, it's gonna be Gauff, who amazingly is just 20 years of age. 

#5. Alexander Zverev made some strides: Alexander Zverev made the second grand slam final of his career. His first being back in 2020 at the US Open. At 27 years of age, he is in the prime of his career and should have some hope that if he keeps knocking on the door, eventually he'll win a grand slam. Wimbledon is going to be key for him this year. 

#6. Jasmine Paolini has figured something out: Before this season, the furthest Jasmine Paolini had gone in a grand slam is the 2nd round. At the Australian Open this year, she advanced to the 4th round and at the French Open this year, she had a dream run to the final before losing to Iga Świątek who is one of the greatest clay court players ever. At 28 years of age, the Italian Paolini appears to have really figured out something in her game. It'll be interesting to see how she does at Wimbledon and the US Open later this year. 

#7. The end is finally here for Rafael Nadal: Rafael Nadal fell to Alexander Zverev in straight sets in the 1st round. Nadal losing that early at a tournament he dominated for so long is all you need to know about where his career is. It's coming to a close. The only question is whether or not he'll be back for one more French Open or not. Whenever he does officially say goodbye, he'll go down as one of the greatest players to ever play and the undisputed king of clay. 

#8. Mirra Andreeva has burst onto the scene: At just 17 years of age, Mirra Andreeva made a run to the semifinals before falling to Jasmine Paolini in straight sets. It was an amazing run for Andreeva as it was the furthest she's ever gone at a grand slam. She is now ranked #23 in the world and I'm sure her ranking will only continue to climb. It's always exciting when someone this young makes their presence felt in such a strong way. I look forward to seeing how she does in the future and how the rest of her summer goes. 

#9. Jannik Sinner hangs onto world number one ranking: While he wasn't able to win it all at Roland Garros, by reaching the semifinals where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets, Jannik Sinner hangs on to the world number one ranking. He won his first grand slam this year in Australia and wasn't quite able to get it done on the clay this year. At just 22 years of age, I do think he'll likely win a French Open at some point, but the problem he has is Carlos Alcaraz being a year younger than him. It's certainly going to be fun to see the two of them battle it out in the coming seasons. 

#10. It's good to have Naomi Osaka back: Naomi Osaka may have lost in the 2nd round, but she did so in as strong of fashion as possible. She lost to the eventual champion Iga Świątek by a final score of 6-7, 6-1, 5-7. She nearly knocked Świątek out of the tournament who as I mentioned, is becoming one of the most dominant clay players of all-time. 

To push Świątek to the edge like that has to give Osaka a lot of confidence. Especially since clay and grass have never been her thing. The 3rd round is the furthest she's gone at the French Open and Wimbledon. The hard courts are where she dominates as she has two US Open titles and two Australian Open titles. If she's playing well on clay against the top clay player in the world, who knows what awaits her when she gets back on the hard courts and even grass. 

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10 things to look for at the 2024 French Open

 

The 2024 French Open is beginning on Sunday, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for in Paris. If you have not yet seen the draws, click here. Alrighty, let's get started. 

#1. Can Rafael Nadal make any noise? Rafael Nadal is likely playing in his final French Open and as a result of his ranking falling, he will open up against No. 4 Alexander Zverev. Smart money is on Zverev to advance, but given that Nadal is the King of Clay, it would be foolish to rule him out. If Nadal could find a way to even reach the 4th round, Paris will be going nuts. 

#2. Can anyone stop Iga Swiatek? Iga Swiatek comes in as the number one ranked player in the world having won the French Open three times. She's won the event back-to-back years and will be gunning for her fourth French Open crown, her third straight French Open crown, and her fifth overall grand slam title.  She's definitely the favorite to win it on the women's side. Will anyone stop her? That's the question. 

#3. Can Novak Djokovic defend his crown? Novak Djokovic comes in as the top seed on the men's side. He's ranked number one in the world and is hoping to win his 25th grand slam title and his fourth French Open. He won the French Open last year, so is coming in as the defending champion. While he's won back-to-back Wimbledons and back-to-back Australian Opens, Djokovic has never won the French Open back-to-back times. Same with the US Open. It'll be interesting to see if he can buck that trend this year. 

#4. Can Aryna Sabalenka contend? Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the number two ranked player in the world having reached the semifinals of the French Open last year. She has won the Australian Open twice and is looking for her first French Open title and third grand slam. If you're talking about who has the best chance to beat Swiatek, Sabalenka's name comes up. Having said that, Swiatek is 8-3 all-time against Sabalenka. If Sabalenka is going to beat Swiatek, she's going to have to play her absolute best assuming they do meet in the final. 

#5. Can Jannik Sinner build on his Australian Open victory? Jannik Sinner won the Australian Open this year and is now looking for his second grand slam title. A calendar slam is theoretically in play for him though I think everyone would be shocked if he pulled that off. Being Italian, you would think clay would be one of his better surfaces but he's actually struggled on the dirt. At least at Roland Garros. His lone quarterfinals appearance came in 2020 and last year he lost in the 2nd round. It'll be interesting to see if Sinner is able to make a deep run or if he'll flame out early. I could see it going either way, though if I had to guess, I think he'll be at least make it to the Round of 16 (4th round). 

#6. Can Coco Gauff go the distance? If you are talking contenders on the women's side, Coco Gauff is a major name to keep an eye on. She is ranked No. 3 in the world and won the US Open in 2023. While she is an American, she loves the clay and reached the French Open final in 2022. I do feel she's going to win a French Open at some point. The only question is when. Will this be the year? We'll just have to find out. 

#7. How will Stefanos Tsitsipas perform? Stefanos Tsitsipas comes in as the number nine ranked player in the world. He reached the French Open final in 2021, the semifinals in 2020, and the quarterfinals in 2023. He is yet to win a grand slam, but he keeps knocking on the door. He's a guy who I think has a chance to go all the way, but it's a matter of him staying consistent and getting a break or two along the way. It would be fun to see him pull it off. 

#8. Does Jelena Ostapenko have what it takes to win it again? Jelena Ostapenko is a former French Open champion, winning it back in 2017 as a teenager. She comes in as the number nine seed, so she should be getting a pretty good draw. She's been playing good tennis lately to get that seed, but for whatever reason she has never been able to contend at the French Open since winning it all. She's been bounced in the 2nd round back-to-back years and the furthest she has gone since her title is the 3rd round in 2020. It'll be interesting to see if this year can be any different for her. 

#9. Can Carlos Alcaraz carry the Spanish torch for Rafael Nadal? While Rafael Nadal is looking like a long shot to win the French Open, there's another Spaniard who has a great opportunity in Carlos Alcaraz, who is ranked number three in the world. Alcaraz has won the US Open and Wimbledon already, making him half-way to the career slam at just 21 years of age. He reached the semifinals of the French Open last year, so he's gaining confidence on the dirt. It would be fitting in a way if Nadal's final French Open resulted in him passing the torch onto Alcaraz. That would be pretty cool (though not as cool as Nadal winning it all, of course). 

#10. How does Naomi Osaka perform? After taking all of last year off, Naomi Osaka is back, though she didn't make much noise with her 1st round exit at the Australian Open. Still, she is back and that's exciting for the sport. Given all four of her grand slams have come on the hard courts, it might not be fair to expect much from her at the French Open. Especially since she's never gotten out of the 3rd round. Still, it's worth paying attention to how she does given she's such a big name in the sport. 

Prediction: I gotta roll with Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek to win it all. Alcaraz's time to win the French Open I think is now and I think the emotion of this likely being Nadal's final French Open might prove to help lift him a bit given they are both from Spain. As for Swiatek, she owns this tournament. She's won it three times and going for her fourth. I can't pick against her. 

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10 things to take away from the 2022 French Open

                                              (Credit: SportsKeeda.com) 

Before I dive into my Wimbledon preview, I do want to write my takeaways from the two weeks that were at Roland Garros. Like every grand slam, it was an exciting two weeks with lots to discuss! 

#1. Rafael Nadal continues to make his case for GOAT: Rafael Nadal defeated Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in the final to win his 14th French Open title and his 22nd Grand Slam, both of which are all-time records. No one in the men's game has won anything close to that number of French Open titles and he also has the most Grand Slam titles of anyone in the men's game. A lot of people like to resist calling him the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) because so many of his Grand Slam titles have come on the clay, but at some point, you just gotta admit it doesn't matter how he gets to the number that he has. It's simply phenomenal. 

#2. Iga Świątek is the best female on clay: While Rafael Nadal is the undisputed King of Clay, the best clay player in the women's game is definitely Iga Świątek. Świątek now has won two French Open titles (2020 & 2022), defeating Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-3 in this year's women's final. She's really figured things out on the clay and now it's just a matter of her figuring things out on the other surfaces. If she can do that, there's no telling how many Grand Slam titles she'll have. 

#3. Casper Rudd has arrived: Even though he didn't win it all, Casper Ruud had his best performance in a Grand Slam by reaching the final. It was the best performance he's had at Grand Slam by a mile as his previous best performance was reaching the 4th round at the 2021 Australian Open. The big thing will of course be for him to build on this and consistently make deep run in the majors, but boy is this a great start for him. At just 23 years of age, he should have plenty of deep runs ahead. 

#4. Clay is actually Coco Gauff's best surface: While she first turned heads by reaching the 4th round at the 2019 Wimbledon, it turns out clay is the surface that Coco Gauff plays her best tennis on. Which is unusual for an American.  Before reaching this year's final, she reached the quarterfinals of the French Open back in 2021, her second-best performance at a Grand Slam. It'll be interesting to see if she'll be able to dethrone Świątek in coming French Opens and also if she'll be able to make similar strides on the other surfaces. 

#5. Novak Djokovic has a Rafael Nadal problem: Rafael Nadal won the 2022 Australian Open and also defeated Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 in the quarterfinals of this year's French Open. With 20 Grand Slam titles, everybody assumes that Djokovic is going to eventually win more Grand Slams than anyone in the men's game and become the GOAT, but right now, he's two titles back of Nadal who (A) won his favorite event in Australia this year and (B) knocked him out of the French Open again this year. Nadal is not going down without a fight and Djokovic better step up his game if he wants to solidify the GOAT debate in his favor. 

#6. Sloane Stephens had a bit of a bounce back: Sloane Stephens has been pretty quiet lately in Grand Slams, but had a bit of a bounce back in this year's French Open by reaching the quarterfinals before falling to Gauff. That was the best performance she's had at a major since the 2019 French Open, where she also reached the quarterfinals. Stephens is one of the bigger names in tennis, especially American tennis, and yet she hasn't won any majors since the 2017 US Open. It would be fun to have her contending in majors in the future. 

#7. Alexander Zverev keeps knocking on the door: Alexander Zverev was unable to complete his semifinal match against Nadal as he tore three lateral ligaments in his right ankle and underwent surgery afterwards. He is out indefinitely and will miss Wimbledon. It's not all doom and gloom for Zverev, though. As a result of reaching the semifinals, he achieved a number two world ranking, the highest of his career. It feels like it's only a matter of time before Zverev will win a major. 

#8. Daria Kasatkina made a deep run: Daria Kasatkina reached the semifinals before getting knocked out by Świątek. It was the furthest run she's had at a major since her back-to-back quarterfinal appearances at the French Open and Wimbledon in 2018. It'll be interesting to see if she can build on this in the rest of 2022 and beyond. 

#9. Marin Cilic turns back the clock: Marin Cilic reached the semifinals before getting knocked out by Ruud. This was the best performance Cilic has had at a Grand Slam since the 2015 US Open in which he reached the semifinals one year after his 2014 US Open title. Whether or not this was an aberration for Cilic or a possible sign of things to come remains to be seen. But for while it lasted, it was fun to see him back in the mix at a major. 

#10. Naomi Osaka needs to figure out how to win away from the hard court: Naomi Osaka lost in the first round and will not be playing Wimbledon due to an Achilles injury. While she has won the US Open and Australian Open twice for four total Grand Slam titles, she hasn't gotten past the 3rd round at the French Open or Wimbledon. This year's French Open was just another reminder that Osaka needs to figure out how to win on surfaces other than hard court. That's really the next step for her in her career. 

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10 things to look for at the 2021 French Open

 The 2021 French Open is set to begin on Sunday now that the qualifying rounds have concluded. That means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for as is custom with every grand slam! If you haven't yet checked out the draws, click here. 

#1. Can Iga Świątek defend her title? Iga Świątek won her first grand slam title at the 2020 French Open despite coming into the event ranked #54 in the world. She became the first Polish player to win a grand slam title, putting her country on the map as well as herself. This time around, she comes in as the #9 ranked player in the world and the #8 seed in the tournament. So, there's a lot more expectations for her to do well this time around.

The interesting thing will be to see how she handles the pressure early on and whether or not she'll succumb to an early exit. A lot of players struggle out of the gates early when they seek to defend a grand slam title. Especially when it's their first time doing so. If Świątek can survive the first three rounds, she very well could be on her way to another Roland Garros title. 

#2. Is Rafael Nadal destined for a 14th Roland Garros title? Rafael Nadal is the defending champion, having won 13 French Open titles overall and four in a row. Nadal is the Michael Jordan of clay tennis. The King of Clay. Whatever other superlative you wanna call him, nobody has done it better on the dirt than Nadal. 

As Nadal guns for his 14th Roland Garros title, he'll also be gunning for his 21st grand slam title, which will put him ahead of Roger Federer for most grand slam titles ever. Both are tied at 20 at the moment.  So, there's a lot on the line here. Personally, I got Nadal getting it done. He's the #3 seed and is coming in with a lot of confidence. 

#3. Can Ashleigh Barty defend her 2019 title? It kinda feels like there are two defending champions on the women's side. There's Iga Świątek, who won the 2020 French Open and then there's Ashleigh Barty, who won the 2019 French Open, but skipped the 2020 French Open due to COVID-19 concerns. Barty comes in as the #1 ranked player in the world, so on paper, she should be the favorite to win it all. That said, we've seen her struggle at times under the pressures of being #1. Most notably at her home grand slam in Australia. How Barty does out of the gates will be interesting to see as well. It would be particularly fun to see her and Świątek face off. If that were to happen, that would happen in the semifinals as they are on the same half of the draw. 

#4. How deep will Roger Federer go? Roger Federer is playing for his legacy in this tournament. As I said above, if Rafael Nadal wins it all, Federer is no longer #1 all-time in grand slam titles. Nadal will be. Now, there's of course the chance for Federer to even things up at Wimbledon and that's certainly an event that Federer has had a lot more success at. But even so, Federer can't be happy with seeing his record fall to Nadal. 

As for how far Federer will go, he's slated to face #1 Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals should all things hold. And then if he were to beat Djokovic, Nadal projects to be there waiting for him in the semis. To put it simply, Federer has a tough draw. That said, Federer is an all-time great and considered by many to be the greatest ever. So if there's anyone who can rise to the occasion, it's him. 

#5. Can Naomi Osaka win a non-hard court grand slam? Naomi Osaka is ranked #2 in the world and a major reason for that is her four grand slam titles: Two at the U.S. Open and two at the Australian Open. However, she has never reached the 4th round at either Wimbledon or Roland Garros. The next step for Osaka will be to contend in Paris and London and show that she's capable of winning away from the hard courts. It'll be interesting to see if she's able to make strides at this year's French Open or if she'll once again bow out early. 

#6. Is this the year Dominic Thiem breaks through at Roland Garros? Dominic Thiem comes in as the #4 seed and he's also won a grand slam title (2020 U.S. Open). However, he's not been able to get over the hump at Roland Garros as he lost in the 2018 and 2019 final to Nadal. Should he reach the final again, Nadal in all likelihood will be waiting for him. 

I wish I could have more confidence in Thiem to knock off Nadal, but should they face again, I do see Nadal winning. Their first meeting in the 2018 final went Nadal's way in straight sets while the 2019 final went Nadal's way in four rather decisive sets. There's a first time for everything and maybe Thiem will prove me wrong. Time will tell. 

#7. Can Serena Williams make it to the second week? Serena Williams is still seeking to win her 24th grand slam title and tie Margaret Court, so that's something she's eying as she heads into this tournament. As for whether or not she'll get it done at this event, odds say it's unlikely to happen. In 2018, she lost in the 4th round; in 2019, she lost in the 3rd round; and in 2020 she lost in the 2nd round. So she's trending in the wrong direction at the moment. 

That said, if Serena can find a way to avoid an early exit and make into the second week, she should be a contender. She's the #7 seed and has won the French Open three times in her career (2002, 2013, and 2015) and also reached the final in 2016. So, she's proven to be dangerous once she reaches the second week. It's just a matter of getting there that has been a challenge for her. 

#8. Can Novak Djokovic win a second French Open title? Novak Djokovic comes in as the #1 ranked player in the world, seeking his 19th grand slam title and 2nd French Open title. On paper, his odds look good. However, when you learn that he's 0-4 in French Open finals against Rafael Nadal, you start to back off a bit. This year, if he were to face Nadal, it would be in the semifinals, which kinda sucks. As the #1 overall seed, you'd think they'd make him avoid Nadal until the final, but that's the nature of the draw. But anyways, Djokovic will be a major player to keep an eye on in this tournament. I do think he'll get past Federer in the quarterfinals should they meet. But, given his history with Nadal at this event, I just don't see him getting past him. 

#9. Will someone knew break through on the women's side? While picking the men's winner is super easy, the same cannot be said for the women's winner. A strong case can be made for both Świątek and Barty because they are the two most recent winners. A strong can also be made for Sofia Kenin (2020) and Marketa Voundrousova (2019) as they are the most recent runners up. If one is putting money on this event, one would be wise to not stray away from those four players when making a pick. But at the same time, one cannot ignore the fact that a lot of the recent winners have seemingly come out of nowhere. Nobody saw Świątek coming in 2020 and nobody saw Jelena Ostapenko coming when she won it all in 2017. 

So, it's hard to figure out whether to pick a consensus front runner or pick someone to break through and win it all. But in the spirit of not pushing and making a decision, I will pick Sofia Kenin to win it all. I think a new player will break through to win it all, but it'll be someone who has been knocking on the door. Kenin fits the description of such a player. She reached the 2020 final and won the 2020 Australian Open, so she knows what it takes to win a grand slam. 

#10. Can Daniil Medvedev win a match? You might be wondering why I'm asking this question when Daniil Medvedev is the #2 ranked player in the world. The reason is because he has never gotten past the first round at Roland Garros! He is 0-4 in first round matches. You know that this is on Medvedev's mind and that he's eager to silence his critics. So, it'll be interesting to see whether or not he'll be able to win a match and build on that to formulate some sort of deep run. If he fizzles out in the first round again, it'll be very disappointing. 

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10 things to look for at the 2020 French Open

 

Usually I get a bit of a break between these previews and recaps, but due to COVID-19, the 2020 French Open is happening right after the US Open, a departure from its usual May/June slot in the tennis calendar. But whether it's happening in the spring or in the fall, there will always be my list of 10 things to look for in the French Open. Without further ado, let's get into it. 

Note: Click here for the draws. Action starts Sunday. 

#1. Will the early exit from the US Open actually help Novak Djokovic? Novak Djokovic's bizarre 4th round exit at the US Open was no doubt frustrating for him as it robbed him of his 18th grand slam title. At the same time, it gave Djokovic more time to rest and recuperate before the French Open. Djokovic comes into this year's French Open having won the ATP 1000 Masters event in Rome, so he's got some momentum now. This was his 5th title in Rome and his record 36th Masters title. Winning the US Open and then running it back at the French Open wouldn't have been easy, so perhaps getting some extra time off will help him as he heads into this event. Not that he's glad he exited New York the way that he did. 

#2. Will Simona Halep benefit from skipping the US Open? Simona Halep made the decision to not play in the US Open and now comes into the French Open as the top seed in the event, making her the de facto favorite. Halep won the French Open back in 2018, so she knows what it takes to win this event. If she does indeed go on to win, there will be many who'll say it was smart for her to skip the US Open and focus her energies on the French. Especially since her best run at the US Open was a run to the semis in 2015. 

#3. Will Rafael Nadal benefit from skipping the US Open? Rafael Nadal is the King of Clay and no doubt made a strategic decision to skip the US Open this year so as to get ready for the French Open and stay more rested. Winning the US Open and then French Open would not be easy for anyone, even Nadal, who won both events last year. I think he probably made the right call since the French Open is his bread and butter event. If Nadal does win the French Open as he is expected to do, he'll tie Roger Federer with most grand slam titles ever (20).

#4. Can Victoria Azarenka make another deep run at a grand slam? After her run to the US Open final, it'll be interesting to see if Victoria Azarenka can back that up with a deep run in Paris. The furthest she's gone at the French Open is the semifinals back in 2013, so I think for her, if she could duplicate that success in 2020, she'd be very happy. One thing that will help her a bit is she comes into the French Open seeded 10th whereas at the US Open, she was unseeded. My prediction is she'll have a good tournament, but bow out either in the 4th round or quarterfinals. I hope I'm wrong. It would be awesome if she reached the semifinals or even went so far as to win the whole thing. 

#5. Will Dominic Thiem benefit from his US Open title? Dominic Thiem comes in as the #3 seed and as the 2020 US Open champion, so he does have some momentum on his side for sure. At the same time, he's on Rafael Nadal's half of the draw, making a run to the final a tough hill to climb. It will be interesting to see how Thiem plays early on and if he can build on his grand slam title in New York to knock off Nadal in the semis and win his second career grand slam. 

#6. Will Serena Williams make a deep run? Serena Williams hasn't won the French Open since 2015 and is really more of a hard court/grass player than a clay player. She comes in as the #6 seed and certainly is expected to go deep on those grounds alone. However, an early exit could happen if she's not careful. The first couple of rounds will be critical as she'll look to establish her footing and get into a good groove on the dirt. 

#7. Will Alexander Zverev build on his strong US Open performance? Alexander Zverev made a real breakthrough by reaching the final of the US Open, showing that he truly deserves the top ten ranking that he has. Now that he's made a grand slam final, there will be some pressure for him to reach the semis...aside from the fact that Nadal stands in his way as a possible quarterfinals opponent. If Zverev can at least reach the quarterfinals and give Nadal a good fight, he should feel good about his tournament and eye an even deeper run at the Australian Open come January. 

#8. Can Coco Gauff make any noise? After reaching the 4th round at Wimbledon and the 3rd round of the US Open in 2019, a lot of people expected even bigger things for Coco Gauff in 2020. Gauff appeared to pick things up right where she left off in 2020 with a run to the 4th round at the Australian Open, but at the US Open last month, she went out in the 1st round. Personally, I think it would be huge if Gauff could at least win a pair of matches and reach the 3rd round at the French Open, an event that she's never won a 1st round match in. If it's another 1st round exit for Gauff, there will be some chatter about whether or not she's worthy of the hype. 

#9. Look for Rafael Nadal to win the men's title: At the end of the day, is there anyone else worth picking to win it on the men's side? Rafael Nadal has won 12 of his 19 grand slam titles at the French Open and is the undisputed greatest player to ever play on clay. It's not even close. Until he retires, he'll always be my pick to win it all at Roland Garros. 

#10. Look for Garbiñe Muguruza to win the women's title: This is coming a bit out of left field, but Garbiñe Muguruza comes in as the 11th seed in the women's draw and has won the French Open before in 2016. On top of that, she reached the Australian Open final earlier this year, so she's still more than capable of being a threat to win grand slams. It's kind of an odd pick I know, but I got a feeling Muguruza is going to leave Paris with her second French Open title and her third grand slam title (2017 Wimbledon is her second). 

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