Tennis fans are in luck! Roland Garros has arrived and Wimbledon is fast approaching. Easily the exciting time in our sport. Two of the biggest tournaments were condensed over a period of eight weeks.
The contrasting surfaces of clay at Roland Garros and grass at Wimbledon will see very different styles of play adopted.
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The French Open is a beast that is the most physically demanding of all the slams with the red dirt creating the toughest playing conditions. It’s harder to earn free points with a serve, rather players must engage in grueling backline exchanges.
Nobody did it better than Rafael Nadal. The most dominant player on these courts, his retirement due to injury was a major blow to the tournament. His omission, much to the disappointment of the fans, will be seen as an opportunity for his rivals, an opportunity for a new champion. The question is who will be that champion?
Australia’s best opportunities
I see Australia’s men’s number one Alex De Minaur as our best chance. The clay surface is de Minaur’s least favorite of the four slams, but his game is not without its merits.
Having grown up on the clay courts in Alicante, Spain, he is comfortable on the surface and we must remember that it was only twelve months ago in the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open that he had match points against Spanish phenomenon and world number one Carlos alcaraz. .
The dark horse we have forgotten about
The Italians have some of the most exciting prospects in men’s tennis. With so much attention on Jannick Sinner, I think Lorenzo Musetti is the one to watch out for. Bursting onto the scene when he won two sets to love against Djokovic at the 2021 edition of the French Open before running out of gas, he is now more mature and physically strong enough to survive the most demanding blows.
Meanwhile, the women’s draw also has a player worth keeping an eye on for a potentially deep run.
She’s won here before in 2017, but we haven’t seen Jelena Ostapenko return to that form since. That is so far. An impressive 2023 has served as a reminder that class is permanent.
The Latvian is one of the purest forwards on the women’s circuit and probably the most fighting competitor. Whether it’s icy handshakes or ongoing battles with electronic hotline calls, there’s always a reason to tune in to Ostapenko’s matches.
And now that he’s back to playing his best, he could be on our screens for the full two weeks. On a side note, keep an eye out for her self-designed outfits, they certainly divide opinion.
The male champion
In 2021, he had just finished a three-hour session at the Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy with an 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz.
Ranked 130 in the world at the time everyone was talking about this kid. I was impressed with how good he was, as was my coach, Peter Luczak.
Talking over lunch, we both agreed that he was going to do great things in our sport. Pete proposed a bet in the form of a new golf driver who would win the French Open in the next ten years. I accepted it, at that moment Rafa and Novak were unstoppable and players like Thiem and Ruud were knocking on the door of Roland Garros.
I’ve been regretting that bet ever since! Alcaraz is an absolute beast, he looks like heir to Rafa’s throne and the only person capable of stopping him is one of the best to ever play the game in Novak.
The female champion
I’m looking at the champion, Iga Swiatek, to bounce back here and claim her fourth Grand Slam title. Knowing how competitive she is after missing out on the silver medal in the Madrid and Rome qualifiers, she will seek to atone. Since she won here in 2020 she has established herself as the best player in the world. Beware of her superior movement, she is so important on clay.
Regardless of who wins the French Open, it’s shaping up to be a brilliant edition. There is something in the air that a changing of the guard is coming. Will it be at Roland Garros this year? We will know in two weeks!
John Millman is a veteran of Australian tennis, with one ATP Tour title to his name and a win over Roger Federer in the fourth round of the 2018 US Open.
