French Open: Growing Sinner, Alcaraz duopoly faces a Djokovic test
The world’s top two players are frontrunners at the Roland Garros, but an ageing Djokovic, chasing a record 25th Slam title, can never be ruled out
Mumbai: “OMG,” wrote Matteo Arnaldi with a fluorescent marker on the camera lens, in the post-match ritual reserved for the winner of a tour tennis match. Arnaldi had just won the biggest match of his career, beating 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the second round of the Madrid Masters.
This was Djokovic a few weeks short of his 38th birthday. A Djokovic who had not won a title in the season, one who was seemingly fading due to the march of time.
But this was also a Djokovic whose aura transcends sport. He may be ageing, playing without a coach, and struggling for form – by his own exalted standard. But he is also one who can’t be taken lightly.
In the current era of men’s tennis, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the world’s top two players, rule the roost. They are the frontrunners for the French Open that begins on Sunday. But along with these young stars – Alcaraz will be defending his title – the Serbian war horse cannot be counted out.
Having just turned 38, Djokovic is in the twilight of his career. He is the last of the Big 3 in tennis, of a golden era where Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic dominated almost every Slam. Djokovic, the youngest of the trio, went past the slam tally of Nadal (22) and Federer (20), to tie Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Majors.
Capturing that 25th though has been elusive. His greatest rivals are retired, but they have been replaced by two energetic youngsters who are destined for big things.
Italian Sinner, the man from the Dolomites, sits on the peak of tennis rankings. He first became world No.1 at the French Open last year and has not slipped since. He is a three-time Grand Slam champion, but all those Majors came on hard courts – of his 19 titles till date, the ATP 250 event in Umag in 2022 remains his only clay court conquest. The 23-year-old looks hungry to accomplish new summits.
He gave a first big indicator last week at the Rome Masters when he reached the final in his first tournament back on tour after completing a three-month doping suspension. He cruised past opponents in Rome, including a 6-0, 6-1 decimation of world No.7 and two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud. “You just look at the guy and say: ‘This is, kind of, next-level shit’,” Ruud told The Guardian.
Sinner is in the same half of the draw as world No.6 Djokovic. If the rankings hold, to get to the semi-final the Serbian will have to go past last year’s finalist Alexander Zverev. The big-serving German has become more consistent in his Grand Slam pursuits, even reaching the Australian Open final earlier this year, but has lost each of the three Major finals he has reached.
At the other end of the draw is Alcaraz. Last year, the Spaniard created history when he at 21 became the youngest man to win a Grand Slam on all three surfaces – he had won the US Open in 2022 and Wimbledon in 2023. After his French Open high, he went on to defend his Wimbledon crown as well.
With his win at Roland Garros, he extended a long tradition of Spanish players reaching the top in Paris. The man from Murcia though carries an extra burden as the one expected to assume the mantle of ‘king of clay’ left vacant after Nadal’s retirement. Alcaraz though has made it clear he wants to live up to his own identity.
The ever-smiling, showboating Alcaraz is the yin to the stoic Sinner’s yang. They are the ones taking forward men’s tennis, even sharing the four Slams between them last year.
But Djokovic cannot be discounted.
The last time a major event was held at Roland Garros, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Djokovic beat Alcaraz to win gold. It was the only accolade Djokovic had not won.
As he deals with ageing body and younger and confident adversaries, he has had to contend with the new reality, of “trying to win a match or two, not really thinking about getting far in the tournament,” as he said after losing in the Madrid Masters first round.
But it is at the Grand Slams where Djokovic puts everything on the line. He’s banking on that intensity again. “(It is) where it counts the most for me, at least where I would like to do my best,” he said.
The younger rivals are the favourites, but Djokovic, champion in 2016, 2021 and 2023, will be determined to surmount all on the Parisian clay.
