The second tennis Grand Slam of 2022 commences on Sunday as the French Open takes centre stage. The main draw at Roland Garros gets underway on Sunday morning and the usual suspects will be seeking to slide and glide their way to victory at the solitary major on clay.
Final preparations 🧹#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/rTg1ZtauOl
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 22, 2022
World no.1 Novak Djokovic takes part in his first major tournament of 2022 following a frantic episode in Australia at the start of the year. Djokovic was deported from Down Under after he unsuccessfully subjugated an uncompromising Covid vaccination mandate for all international travellers into Australia, as well as for all persons involved in the Australian Open.
Two-time French Open winner Djokovic, who remains unvaccinated, has been cleared to compete at Roland Garros after the French government repealed most of the country’s Covid restrictions and the Serb is free to chase a record-equalling 21st Grand Slam title.
Coming into last year’s French Open, Djokovic had played 64 sets of event tennis; this year, that figure sits at a lowly 38. Djokovic lost his no.1 ranking to Daniil Medvedev at the end of February but was back atop the ATP standings three weeks later.
Djokovic celebrates his 35th birthday on the opening day of the tournament and is fresh off the back of conquering the Rome Masters for a sixth time, and the 20-time major winner has spent a record total 371 weeks as the top-ranked Men’s tennis player in the world.
Of players ranked in the ATP top 10, Matteo Berrettini is the only absentee at Roland Garros this year after the Italian underwent surgery on his right hand in March. Earlier this year Berrettini made the semifinals at the Australian Open, and in 2021 he advanced to the RG quarters as well as a maiden Slam final at Wimbledon.
20-time Slam winner Roger Federer, currently ranked 46th in the world, misses out on a third consecutive major as persistent knee problems have impeded his return to the court. Federer will be hopeful of a return to action in time for the grass-court season and particularly for the Wimbledon Championships which get started six weeks prior to Federer’s 41st birthday.
French Open defending champion Djokovic takes on Yoshihito Nishioka in the first round whilst Rafael Nadal shares a court with Australia’s Jordan Thompson, and Medvedev faces off with unseeded Facundo Bagnis. Eighth seed Casper Ruud plays against home favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 37, with the veteran Frenchman expected to hang up his racket after the tournament.
Djokovic could meet 15th seed Diego Schwartzman in the Round of 16 before a potential encounter with 13-time Roland Garros winner Nadal in the quarters. Nadal would first have to overcome Canadian youngster Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Round of 16, and the 21-year-old is coached by Nadal’s uncle – Toni. A prospective bout between Djokovic (or Nadal) and no.3 seed Alexander Zverev could take place in the final four.
In the other half of the Men’s draw, 11th seed Jannik Sinner is looking to match or better his quarter-final return at the Australian Open this year, and the 20-year-old is on course to face no.7 seed Andrey Rublev in the Round of 16. Sinner also made the quarters at the 2020 French Open, and if he reaches that stage this year he will then have to contend with 2nd seed Medvedev.
In the Ladies’ singles draw, top seed Iga Świątek sets her sights on a second major title after she conquered Paris in 2020. Świątek turns 21 during the imminent tournament and she inherited the world no.1 spot after Australian Open champion Ashleigh Barty announced her retirement from tennis in March.
Świątek battles with Ukrainian qualifier Lesia Tsurenko in the opening round, whilst no.2 seed and defending Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova meets with 19-year-old local Diane Parry.
10th seed and 2016 RG winner Garbine Muguruza could meet American teen Coco Gauff (seeded 18th) as early as the third round. Sixth seed Ons Jabeur and Wimbledon reigning champion Emma Raducanu may clash in the Round of 16.
The first round gets underway Sunday with the singles finals to be played on Court Philippe-Chatrier in two weeks’ time, over the weekend 4-5 June. The singles champions will each take home a purse of €2,2million with the two runners-up to bag half that amount.
