clayqueen
Talk Tennis Guru
Both out in the QF.
Who will win the men's singles title and why?
Chris Evert: Novak Djokovic, because his timing to peak is impeccable. He has his clay-court legs and instincts back, and he's fresh from his time off earlier this year.
Pam Shriver: Carlos Alcaraz is ready to win his first major. His last few months have been a meteoric rise towards the top of men's tennis at just 19 years of age. His strength has grown since last year's US Open run. He is ready to grind for seven matches, 3 of 5 sets. While the top half of the draw is loaded with the top three favorites, Alcaraz is in the better section of the top half. His coach Juan Carlos Ferrero has won Roland Garros, and Carlos is ready to join him as a Roland Garros champion.
Rennae Stubbs: Djokovic. After winning in Rome, he is mentally and physically back after the debacle at the beginning of the year, and is ready to show why he is the best player in the world.
Mary Joe Fernandez: Rafa Nadal is the favorite even though he did not win a warm-up clay event. When you win a Grand Slam 13 times, you are the favorite until you retire. Nadal feels at home on Philippe Chatrier, and it has been almost impossible to beat him in best of five sets. He has played so well to start the season that he can draw on that confidence to win in Paris again.
Luke Jensen: Alcaraz. The young and extremely confident Spaniard is ready to take his first major. He has every shot on the court, and his super weapon is his calm demeanor under pressure. He won in Madrid, beating Nadal and Djokovic, soooooo look out! The kid is 16-1 this year in the red mud!
Patrick McEnroe: Djokovic will get past Nadal, Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas to win his 21st Grand Slam title.
Brad Gilbert: The imbalance of the top half of the draw (group of death), with Djokovic rounding into form, the emergence of Alcaraz and Nadal (with injury concerns there), makes me look to the bottom half of the draw and the great opportunity for Tsitsipas to win it.
Cliff Drysdale: Alcaraz. He is young, but so were Boris Becker, Mats Wilander, Chrissie Evert, Tracy Austin, Michael Chang and Pete Sampras.
D'Arcy Maine: I can't resist: Alcaraz. Could this be slightly premature? Absolutely. He's only played in four five-set matches thus far in his career and has an incredibly tough draw, with potential showdowns with Sebastian Korda (the only man to beat him on clay thus far this season), Alexander Zverev and Nadal or Djokovic en route to the final.
But he's been nearly flawless on the surface in the lead-in events, and it seems all but certain he will be hoisting a major trophy at some point in the near future, so why not now?
Tom Hamilton: I'm backing Alcaraz to win. The young Spaniard was immense at the Madrid Open and is riding a wave of confidence into Roland Garros. There are question marks over whether he can prevail in five-set matches, but he's the man to beat with those around him tipping him for multiple Grand Slams. This time around, it could all come down to that semifinal (if he makes it) where he will likely face the winner of the potential Nadal-Djokovic quarterfinal.
Simon Cambers: Djokovic. It didn't look that way when he was losing early in Monte Carlo, but with Nadal not 100 percent and having won Rome in style, everything's in his favor. Alcaraz may prove me wrong, but I think he's a year away from winning, while Djokovic will channel all that happened in Australia into winning a third Roland Garros title.
Bill Connelly: I was fully prepared to pick Alcaraz here. "He's been unbelievable this year, and with Nadal hobbled and Djokovic still trying to find his form, this is his moment," I would have said. But then Djokovic laid waste to a loaded field in Rome. His serve and forehand are in rhythm again. His forehand looks as dangerous as ever, and it's fair to assume that defeating him in a best-of-5 match remains one of the most difficult feats in sports. Djokovic's the favorite.
Aishwarya Kumar: Alcaraz. The 19-year-old is unstoppable right now. In the span of two months -- from March 22 when the Miami Open began to May 22 when the French Open will begin -- he has won two ATP 1000 titles and one ATP 500s title. And he didn't beat just any top player for those trophies. He became the first person to beat Nadal and Djokovic in a single clay-court tournament to win the Madrid Open earlier this month. He is playing impeccable tennis right now. He has suddenly become the man to beat -- and he told me earlier this month that he is ready to win a Grand Slam!
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Who will win the men's singles title and why?
Chris Evert: Novak Djokovic, because his timing to peak is impeccable. He has his clay-court legs and instincts back, and he's fresh from his time off earlier this year.
Pam Shriver: Carlos Alcaraz is ready to win his first major. His last few months have been a meteoric rise towards the top of men's tennis at just 19 years of age. His strength has grown since last year's US Open run. He is ready to grind for seven matches, 3 of 5 sets. While the top half of the draw is loaded with the top three favorites, Alcaraz is in the better section of the top half. His coach Juan Carlos Ferrero has won Roland Garros, and Carlos is ready to join him as a Roland Garros champion.
Rennae Stubbs: Djokovic. After winning in Rome, he is mentally and physically back after the debacle at the beginning of the year, and is ready to show why he is the best player in the world.
Mary Joe Fernandez: Rafa Nadal is the favorite even though he did not win a warm-up clay event. When you win a Grand Slam 13 times, you are the favorite until you retire. Nadal feels at home on Philippe Chatrier, and it has been almost impossible to beat him in best of five sets. He has played so well to start the season that he can draw on that confidence to win in Paris again.
Luke Jensen: Alcaraz. The young and extremely confident Spaniard is ready to take his first major. He has every shot on the court, and his super weapon is his calm demeanor under pressure. He won in Madrid, beating Nadal and Djokovic, soooooo look out! The kid is 16-1 this year in the red mud!
Patrick McEnroe: Djokovic will get past Nadal, Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas to win his 21st Grand Slam title.
Brad Gilbert: The imbalance of the top half of the draw (group of death), with Djokovic rounding into form, the emergence of Alcaraz and Nadal (with injury concerns there), makes me look to the bottom half of the draw and the great opportunity for Tsitsipas to win it.
Cliff Drysdale: Alcaraz. He is young, but so were Boris Becker, Mats Wilander, Chrissie Evert, Tracy Austin, Michael Chang and Pete Sampras.
D'Arcy Maine: I can't resist: Alcaraz. Could this be slightly premature? Absolutely. He's only played in four five-set matches thus far in his career and has an incredibly tough draw, with potential showdowns with Sebastian Korda (the only man to beat him on clay thus far this season), Alexander Zverev and Nadal or Djokovic en route to the final.
But he's been nearly flawless on the surface in the lead-in events, and it seems all but certain he will be hoisting a major trophy at some point in the near future, so why not now?
Tom Hamilton: I'm backing Alcaraz to win. The young Spaniard was immense at the Madrid Open and is riding a wave of confidence into Roland Garros. There are question marks over whether he can prevail in five-set matches, but he's the man to beat with those around him tipping him for multiple Grand Slams. This time around, it could all come down to that semifinal (if he makes it) where he will likely face the winner of the potential Nadal-Djokovic quarterfinal.
Simon Cambers: Djokovic. It didn't look that way when he was losing early in Monte Carlo, but with Nadal not 100 percent and having won Rome in style, everything's in his favor. Alcaraz may prove me wrong, but I think he's a year away from winning, while Djokovic will channel all that happened in Australia into winning a third Roland Garros title.
Bill Connelly: I was fully prepared to pick Alcaraz here. "He's been unbelievable this year, and with Nadal hobbled and Djokovic still trying to find his form, this is his moment," I would have said. But then Djokovic laid waste to a loaded field in Rome. His serve and forehand are in rhythm again. His forehand looks as dangerous as ever, and it's fair to assume that defeating him in a best-of-5 match remains one of the most difficult feats in sports. Djokovic's the favorite.
Aishwarya Kumar: Alcaraz. The 19-year-old is unstoppable right now. In the span of two months -- from March 22 when the Miami Open began to May 22 when the French Open will begin -- he has won two ATP 1000 titles and one ATP 500s title. And he didn't beat just any top player for those trophies. He became the first person to beat Nadal and Djokovic in a single clay-court tournament to win the Madrid Open earlier this month. He is playing impeccable tennis right now. He has suddenly become the man to beat -- and he told me earlier this month that he is ready to win a Grand Slam!
Expert picks: Who will win the 2022 French Open?
Our experts weigh in on the key questions ahead of this year's French Open.
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