Novak Djokovic will bid for a file-breaking 23rd Grand Slam identify at a French Open without his antique rival Rafael Nadal for the first time on account that 2004, at the same time as Iga Swiatek tries to end up the first woman to protect the identify in sixteen years.Serbian veteran Djokovic will now not be the favorite for the title, although, after struggling with an elbow injury and failing to get beyond the region-finals in any of his three clay-court occasions to date this season.

Carlos Alcaraz gained the Barcelona and Madrid Opens en direction to taking on from Djokovic as international number one, at the same time as Daniil Medvedev is seeded second for Roland Garros after his maiden clay triumph in Rome.

But Djokovic will know this is a big possibility to break out of his tie with 14-time French Open winner Nadal at the top of the all time listing of maximum guys’s Slam singles titles.

The -time champion has lost eight of his 10 French Open conferences with Nadal who is lacking this yr’s version because of a hip damage he suffered at the Australian Open.

“I know I can constantly play better,” Djokovic stated after losing to Holger Rune in the Italian Open last eight.

“Definitely am looking forward to working on numerous elements of my recreation, of my body, optimistically getting myself in 100 percentage shape. That’s the purpose.”

Djokovic and Alcaraz are seeded to fulfill within the semi-finals after being positioned inside the equal 1/2 of the draw.

The 36-year-old may also should get past Monte Carlo Masters champion Andrey Rublev inside the quarters.

The different facet of the draw appears huge open, with in-form Medvedev the very best seed regardless of never having formerly got beyond the region-finals on the Paris clay.

The Russian misplaced inside the first round on each of his first four visits before making the quarters in 2021.

“I would by no means (have) idea I would be able to make this (win a clay-court docket identify),” Medvedev said after beating Rune inside the Rome final.

“But I ought to be honest — a Grand Slam is always bigger.”

In-shape youngster Rune, who made a surprise run to ultimate 12 months’s region-finals, should face Casper Ruud within the final eight in a rematch of a terrible-tempered assembly 365 days ago.

Ruud went directly to be thrashed inside the very last with the aid of Nadal and also misplaced the USA Open showpiece fit to Alcaraz.

But the Norwegian global variety 4 has struggled for form this 12 months, only attaining the quarters in of the 10 tournaments he has played.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, who misplaced the 2021 final to Djokovic after being units up, could be a number of the probable contenders but has no longer gained a name but this term – the longest he has needed to watch for a trophy in a season considering that 2018.

The winner of the ladies’s singles is predicted to be one of the trio of reigning champion Swiatek, Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina.

They have received the ultimate four Grand Slam titles between them and at least one among them has featured in every WTA a thousand final this season.

Swiatek, who turns 22 during the match, might be the favourite as she chases a 3rd Roland Garros triumph and a first a success girls’s name defence considering Justine Henin received her 0.33 French Open in a row in 2007.

The Polish big name retired from her Italian Open area-final against Rybakina with a thigh damage but educated at Roland Garros on Wednesday.