Emma Raducanu will face talented Argentine Solana Sierra in the first round of the French Open as she returns from a two-month injury layoff due to post-viral illness. The 2021 US Open champion is searching for rhythm and form after losing her first-round match to Diane Parry in Strasbourg earlier this week. Sierra, 21, sits at a career-high ranking of No. 64 after a successful clay-court season and is capable of causing an upset.
Djokovic Avoids Sinner's Half
Novak Djokovic, a three-time champion at Roland Garros, has avoided Jannik Sinner's half of the draw but faces a challenging path as he aims for a record 25th grand slam singles title. The Serbian will begin against French wildcard Giovanni Mpetshi-Perricard. Djokovic has played only two tournaments since the Australian Open, where he defeated Sinner in a five-set semi-final before losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the final. His most recent appearance was a first-round loss to world No. 79 Dino Prizmic at the Italian Open.
By landing in the same half as Alexander Zverev, the No. 2 seed, Djokovic cannot face Sinner before the final. Sinner, meanwhile, will start his campaign against French wildcard Clement Tabur. The Italian arrives as the dominant player in the men's game and the prohibitive favorite at Roland Garros in the absence of reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz, who is injured. After becoming the second man and youngest in history to win every Masters 1000 title, after Djokovic, Sinner aims to complete the set of grand slams.
Women's Draw Wide Open
In contrast to the men's draw, the women's draw is highly competitive with several potential champions. Defending champion Coco Gauff, the fourth seed, will begin her title defense against Taylor Townsend. Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, has performed poorly by her high standards during the clay-court season but remains a favorite. Jessica Pegula, the fifth seed, and Victoria Mboko, the ninth seed, also occupy the top half.
The bottom half is equally strong. Elina Svitolina, the seventh seed and recent Italian Open champion, could face third seed Iga Swiatek, who hopes hiring new coach Francisco Roig will lead to a fifth French Open title. Swiatek is seeded to face 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko in the third round, who holds a 6-0 record against her. Elena Rybakina, the second seed, wants a second straight grand slam title after her triumph in Melbourne. She is projected to face eighth seed Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals.
