2025 Roland Garros - Men’s Singles Preview
I’ve looked through the draw, and my list of possible winners or realistic competitors for glory are fairly limited.
I will try to follow the chances of the major favourites in their likely journeys through the draw.
There are a couple of outsiders who are worth mentioning, but for now, let’s concentrate on the select few.
Carlos Alcaraz is seeded #2, and ithe defending champion.
His clay court form coming into Paris is impressive, with Masters 1000 titles in Monte Carlo and Rome, plus a runners up trophy in Barcelona in between.
Niggling injury has limited his on court appearances, but he is sharp and ready for a vigorous defence.
He meets an Italian qualifier first up, and possibly another Italian in round two.
Drawn to be the third round opponent is French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (31).
Alcaraz won the only time the two have met.
Round of sixteen should be against Stefanos Tsitsipas (20), but no guarantee with the Greek former finalist arriving here out of form.
Irrespective, Carlos has won each of his six clashes with Stefanos, including the last two Roland Garros quarter finals.
Quarter final opponent is scheduled to be either Casper Ruud (7) or Tommy Paul (12).
Carlos has won the past three matches against Paul, and has a 4-1 record against Ruud.
So, Carlos Alcaraz, for me, is a firm favourite to reach the semi finals.
Jannik Sinner, the top seed, has proven to be a hard court expert, but at Roland Garros, his best is a semi final last year, losing to eventual winner Alcaraz.
It won’t be simple this year - he may have to beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (26) in the third round before the prospect of either Andrey Rublev (17) or rising French star Arthur Fils (14).
Admittedly, Rublev has twice been a Roland Garros quarter finalist, but no further, and Fils failed to win a first round in two attempts - still Rublev did best Sinner in their only match at Roland Garros in the 2022 round of sixteen.
This years round of sixteen will be different and Sinner will emerge, probably to face Alex de Minaur (9) or Jack Draper (5) in a quarter final.
de Minaur was beaten in last years quarters by eventual finalist Zverev, while Draper hasn’t won a first round Rolan Garros match.
Alex has lost all 10 matches against Sinner, so I see the world number one winning his way into a second Roland Garros semi final.
Novak Djokovic is due to come from Geneva, where he just won his 100th title in an unparalleled career.
As his results have progressively become more akin to mortal man over the past year or so, and Grand Slam titles missing since US Open 2023, most have begun writing end of career pieces.
Too soon though. The master is in this tournament with momentum and seeded 6, attempting to capture a 25th major.
He should account for American Mackenzie McDonald in the first round - their first meeting, and then one of two French players next.
Djokovic has won both maches against Corentin Moutet, and qualifier Clément Tabur hasn’t had the pleasure of an on court introduction to the reigning Olympic champion.
Third round should be Denis Shapovalov (27), and the 0-8 record against Djokovic doesn’t bear well for the Canadian.
Round of sixteen could be the first big test - Daniil Medvedev (11). A rivalry of large proportions has developed over the years, highlighted by three Grand Slam finals. Djokovic won the most recent of these - his last major (2023 US Open).
Djokovic is drawn to meet Alexander Zverev (6) in the quarter finals.
Zverev has a potentially tough section of the draw to successfully pass through.
Flavio Cobellii is unseeded and sits possibly as a third round opponent for Zverev, and the Italian just won the Hamburg Open, beating Rublev in the final.
Experience should find last years finalist safely through to a Djokovic contest.
Statistically, Zverev poses a threat, having won two of the past three against Djokovic, including this years Australian Open semi final.
Form suggests otherwise, exiting second round in Hamburg.
Lorenzo Musetti (8) is in good shape to have a good time in Paris.
In the lead up, he has made the final in Monte Carlo - beaten by Alcaraz, semi finals in Madrid, and semi finals in Rome - again beaten by Alcaraz.
If he makes the quarters, he is drawn to play Taylor Fritz, and he has won the past three against the American.
My predictions:
Quarter finals:
Jannik Sinner (1) to defeat Hubert Hurkacz (30)
Novak Djokovic (6) to defeat Alexander Zverev (3)
Lorenzo Musetti (8) to defeat Taylor Fritz (4)
Carlos Alcaraz (2) to defeat Casper Ruud (7)
Semi finals:
Novak Djokovic (6) to defeat Jannik Sinner (1)
Carlos Alcaraz (2) to defeat Lorenzo Musetti (8)
Final:
Carlos Alcaraz (2) to defeat Novak Djokovic (6)
