Now the world’s top two players, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are positioned to meet in their first Grand Slam final and both carry excellent form into Paris.
But will one of the other men who have enjoyed great claycourt results this season interrupt the Sinner-Alcaraz duopoly at the majors?
On the women’s side it’s been a monopoly, with Iga Swiatek winning four of the past five French titles and the past three in a row.
Will she make it four on the trot, or will one of her rivals exploit her current vulnerability and become a first-time winner in Paris?
There are so many exciting storylines entering the year’s second major and we spoke to our ausopen.com experts to dissect it all – as well as asking them to predict who will triumph.
Our experts
Casey Dellacqua: Former world No.26 and 2011 Roland Garros mixed doubles winner
Wally Masur: Former world No.15 and previous Australian Davis Cup captain
Nicole Pratt: Former world No.35 and Australian women’s coach lead
Andre Sa: Former Brazilian pro who reached Wimbledon 2002 singles quarterfinals
Simon Rea: Former coach of Sam Stosur and Nick Kyrgios
Jannik Sinner is back and Carlos Alcaraz has risen to world No.2. Are we going to our first Sinner v Alcaraz Slam final, after they clashed in the Rome final?
DELLACQUA: "Yeah I think there is a very high possibility of that being the case. I think we will. I think Alcaraz is probably quite happy that Sinner's back, in a way. I think the fact they have this really healthy, competitive rivalry, I think that really pushes you to be your best. I guess we just never thought we'd have the same rivalries that we used to have with the Rafas and the Rogers and the Novaks, but I think we are all on the Sinner and Alcaraz rivalry train – just the fact that they bring different game styles to the court.”
MASUR: “Well, it's highly likely. Well done Jannik Sinner for coming back in the fashion that he did; it shows you he’s a class player and actually he's got a good team. His preparation was right. It must have been pretty frustrating sitting out for three months… He's been warmly embraced by the Italians, he's a big star and that certainly would've helped him in Rome. Alcaraz and Sinner right now, on the back of Rome, seeded one and two – if you’re a betting man, you'd say maybe that's the final.”
PRATT: “The men’s tournament is a two-horse race with Sinner and Alcaraz.”
SA: "Yes I think so. I think we're going to see a Grand Slam final with Alcaraz and Sinner coming up very very soon."
REA: "I think it would be hard to say no, wouldn't it? At the risk of racing ahead, I think Carlos Alcaraz will be my tip going in. I was just really taken with Alcaraz being able to put that injury scare behind him and really probably get better as the fortnight played out in Rome, and to take down Sinner in that fashion on Sinner's home territory, I think there's bonus points for that. If there is anyone that lacks the intimidation factor that maybe everyone else feels when they come up against Sinner, I think it's Alcaraz.”
Lots of other men impressed during the clay-court season – who is best placed to challenge the Sinner-Alcaraz ‘duopoly’ at the majors?
DELLACQUA: "A player like Casper Ruud, he's definitely a name we should put there in the mix. But then when you think about the fact that he played Sinner in Rome and was absolutely destroyed... I think players like Ruud, they're in the mix, but are they capable of beating a Sinner or Alcaraz over five sets in Grand Slam tennis? I'm not sure. Jack Draper is definitely one to look out for; he's played some great tennis, he's obviously got that lefty swinging serve that can open up a clay court particularly, and he fights, and his body seems to be coping quite well with the load. Then I don't think we can't mention Novak Djokovic. I just think when his name's in the draw, it's really hard to discount him purely because of history and results. I'm pretty sure at Roland Garros the only player he's lost to is Rafa in the last certain number of years.”
[Editor’s note: Aside from Nadal, the last player Djokovic lost to at Roland Garros was Dominic Thiem in 2019]
MASUR: “I started writing down some names of players that can cause damage… But two players who, in my mind, if they get it right, are Ruud and Zverev. But what about Novak? Time has to catch up with us all. He’s had uncharacteristic losses, and he's playing in Geneva this week obviously because he wants to get matches, as is Zverev – I noticed he's in Hamburg. His results have not been exactly what he might've expected. But they've not been bad, either; he's got enough matches under his belt. I think it's a really interesting French Open, and I think it's important for the men's game, given the strength of the Big Four for nearly two decades, for the general public that maybe don't follow tennis week in week out, the idea that we've got Alcaraz and Sinner, who are enthralling to watch [plus all these challengers behind them]."
PRATT: “Zverev always seems to find something special at the French, so he’s one to look out for.”
SA: "I think Casper Ruud and Lorenzo Musetti are probably the big names who can challenge those two, and you can never count out Novak Djokovic as well; I mean, the guy's a machine. But we'll see. It will be interesting to see."
REA: "I've been incredibly taken by Draper's 2025, and I think potentially he's pretty well suited to the clay. Certainly I think if it's dry, warm and lively, I think that will be right up his alley. I think he continues to go from strength to strength. He's not been on the scene long; if you look through his Grand Slam history, it's relatively light on. So there's a lot of upside there that still exists for Draper. Musetti I think has been really consistent; he brings a different element to the sport in terms of that counterpunching element and some of the variety... And then there's Holger Rune, who you can't discount. Talk about bringing firepower; if he brings his best tennis then good luck stopping him if he gets up and going. I think he's got the weapons to be able to take into that type of match-up and threaten those guys [like Sinner and Alcaraz].”
How do you think Iga Swiatek is placed, given her current form yet status as the three-time defending champion?
DELLACQUA: "I just know when you're in a form slump, and some of the results and scorelines, it's very worrying for me -- 6-0 against Madison Keys in Madrid was tough. A 6-1 6-1 result against Coco Gauff, that is a tough one to take as well. Watching her on court, seeing her just look unsure of herself. When she's walking up to the line to serve, just the doubt in her mind. The fact that she's obviously struggling so much with the mentality of where she is at the moment, it's absolutely affecting her physicality of her game.”
MASUR: “That gets a little bit back to the Novak question. Even though he's battling, can you discount him at the French over five where he’s been historically so hard to beat? And I think a little bit for Iga; she walks through those gates, does it give her that little bit of a lift? And there's so much belief given what she's achieved there. But I do find it interesting; it's not just the loss, it's some of the scorelines. You can lose some tight matches where maybe you're just a bit down on confidence and you're losing some of the big points that you normally win. But there was that match, I think it was Madrid, it was 1 and 1 [against Gauff]. That's surprising. I don't care how good you are, that's gotta dent your confidence a little bit.”
PRATT: “I feel Iga has been playing with pressure. Coming into clay she was trying to defend titles every week and it showed in her form. She always needs to play with intensity but the balance is out. As defending champ in Paris she needs to allow herself to breathe and enjoy the contest more if she wants to hold the trophy again.”
SA: "Well I think Iga is struggling a little bit. I mean, her mind is a little bit off. But every great champion in the big moments, they find a way, and I think she's going to be coming into Roland Garros as still a favourite. It's her favourite tournament to play and as a tennis player, you always find an extra gear when you are at your favourite place. So I'm pretty sure she's gonna try her hardest and is gonna do well."
REA: "I’d love to be inside the camp, because do you see that as a burden coming in, perhaps being a little bit more vulnerable or uncertain after some really unusually one-sided losses? Or do you look at it glass-half-full, turn the page, walk into Roland Garros [with her record] and every other player has the fear-factor [against her]? That's a whole new ballgame. I think that's the coaching challenge that awaits. I think potentially the field look at her as more gettable than they have over the last five years, but I think it's still gonna take a hell of an effort from someone to knock her off at Roland Garros.”
Could we see a new winner on the women’s side in Paris? And if so, who might it be?
DELLACQUA: I think this is probably the best chance in years. This is Sabalenka’s best chance to win a Roland Garros title, I believe. I think she’s in great form. After Madrid, it’s really hard then to go to Rome and continue that form. When you get to Sabalenka’s level, they’re going for records, they’re going for Slams, this is when they want to hit their peak. For Sabalenka, that Australian Open final that she lost against Madison Keys, I think she’ll want to bounce back from that. I think she’s in the best form to win this Roland Garros.”
MASUR: “Quite possibly. Gauff has improved on clay, no question about it. Paolini, I mean, wow. What a great couple of years she's had, so let's not discount her. Sabalenka, Gauff, Swiatek, Paolini – there's some names there that you sort of go, Hey, they're in form, they can win this. But I think like the men, there's a host of players that can do damage. Whether they can go on to win, it's completely another matter. Like Svitolina, Qinwen Zheng, played really well [in Rome]. Good athlete. And then you look at a young Mirra Andreeva, she just gets better all the time. Maybe this is a bit of a breakout major for her? Madison Keys on her day – not necessarily a claycourt player, but still very dangerous, because she's such a good shot maker and she's playing a little more judiciously, better shot selection.”
PRATT: “My top four picks on the women’s side are Paolini, Sabalenka, Zheng and Swiatek. I’m going to go with Zheng after a solid run in Rome and coming back to Roland Garros where she won the Olympic Games.”
SA: "Oh definitely, yes. I think we can see a new winner. I mean, Aryna Sabalenka is playing lights out the whole year... I think Paolini's playing really well, and also Coco Gauff. So it's pretty open; the women's event is gonna be exciting to watch.”
REA: "I think Gauff, Paolini and Sabalenka are the names that will be potentially right there at the business end. Gauff's shown, with her track record at Roland Garros that she can go deep in the event, she's really well suited to the red clay. Paolini has been there before, and then we saw her manage to kind of catapult off that last year – I don’t think any of us were thinking she'd do it again at Wimbledon, and she did. She's shown that wasn't just a one-off, and clearly she's coming in in form, and handled the pressure of being the home-town hero in Rome. Sabalenka I think has probably had as good of a claycourt campaign as what she's enjoyed in previous years. Seems to be the most consistent performer on tour in recent years.”
Who will win the men’s and women’s singles titles at Roland Garros?
DELLACQUA: I think we’ll see Sabalenka win. And I’m going to go with Jannik Sinner. The fact that he’s had that time off and the fact that he’s come back in such good form… I think he’ll continue to improve on serve. Just having the break, I think he’s going to come in with a whole different mindset and I think he’s going to be dangerous.”
MASUR: “I’ll go Alcaraz and I definitely lean towards Sabalenka. I've really gone out on a limb.”
PRATT: “Alcaraz and Zheng.”
SA: "Oh man, what a question. I think Alcaraz on the men's side is the favourite – I don't see anybody beating him. And on the women's side is really tough; if I had to pick I would say Iga would find her game and win it again. So I'll leave it at that (laughter)."
REA: “Alcaraz and Gauff. Time for a change on the women's side, but I don't think it will be easy – I still think Iga will find her way into the final four there somewhere.”