Roland Garros is going to be Off The Chain

[ressling]

Don't know why folks will think RG to be mediocre this year... sometimes it's equally if not more exciting when the trophy is literally up for grabs to anyone versus the usual suspects.

 

[DSH]

Let's see how many ********* put an asterisk on this one if their beloved Djesus vultures the title...

Joker will be swept at most in the semifinals.

 

[duaneeo]

I'm excited. It'll be so interesting to see who will take advantage of an absent Nadal.

 

[Djokovic2011]

Should be an exciting tournament but I don't think there's much doubt that Alcaraz will be the one holding the trophy aloft at the end of it.

 

[CoolCoolCool]

Don't know why folks will think RG to be mediocre this year... sometimes it's equally if not more exciting when the trophy is literally up for grabs to anyone versus the usual suspects.

Unless it's Zverev who grabs it.

 

[socallefty]

Should be an exciting tournament but I don't think there's much doubt that Alcaraz will be the one holding the trophy aloft at the end of it.

Maybe 40% chance of winning for Carlos, 20% for Djokovic and 40% for the field? Or do you think the chance of Carlos winning is higher?

 

[Shaolin]

Should be an exciting tournament but I don't think there's much doubt that Alcaraz will be the one holding the trophy aloft at the end of it.

Novak will give him a good fight, maybe Med too.

 

[Cabeza del Demonio]

First time in a long time, with absence of Nadal, Roland Garros looks to be wide open, with many potential winners. It is one of more unpredictable RG we have had in a long time.

Alcaraz - The favorite, he has been the dominant force on clay this season, despite the early loss in Rome, with three clay titles to his name, another a RU, plus having the experience of winning a slam already and regaining the world number one ranking, he looks the guy to become the new RG champion for this new age that is dawning.

Djokovic - The second favorite, hasn't been anywhere close to his best post AO, but clay is also his worst surface. This is the slam he is most vulnerable at, but still beating him in a best of five is still the most difficult challenge in tennis at the moment. Nobody knows better than him how to win slams, as most of the field have never won one, so his experience will help. But at 36, how will he really do?

Medvedev - If things go his way in the draw making, he could avoid BOTH top two contenders all the way until the final. Med has had his best first half of the season ever, and certainly his best clay season, with wins over Zverev, Tsitsipas and Rune, he has shown he can hang, and he is peaking at the right time. If a few thing fall his way, he could surprise us all.

Tsitsipas - Despite all the distractions he has had, Tsitsipas is still one of the best natural clay court players on the tour. With him, it is about finding the right balance, his lower ranking means he could be in a tough section, if he can bring the form he showed at AO, he can make a seriously deep run, but he needs to step up now.

Rune - He isn't afraid of any player or any occasion, his brash confidence gives him insane belief that he can win any match and come out of any situation a winner. He has though struggled in finals on clay, lost both masters finals he played this year, but he has also collected a lot of big wins, including wins over Medvedev, Sinner, Djokovic and Ruud. On his day, he can beat anyone.

Sinner - The other big threat he is on the verge of a massive break through. One of the better clay court players, also very difficult to beat in slams, it took five sets in the last three matches to put Sinner away, so he doesn't go down easily.

Roland Garros is going to be off the chain....next time on Dragon Ball Z.

I have to believe omitting Casper Ruud on this list was a conscious choice. Did bro steal your girl or something?
Medvedev and freakin Sinner on this list but not the world #4, 2022 finalist who has a clay title unlike half these guys? The level of disrespect is unfathomable.

Aside from that, great post! Always love seeing your hype threads before the show starts. I really don't want to make a prediction this time and just watch from a distance. Something tells me we're gonna see some epic matches for the ages with such a stacked clay field (even without the big boss in town).

....ok who am I kidding, of course I have to make a prediction. Personally I'd love to see Ruud finally get over that last hurdle and win, or better yet, Thiem come out of nowhere to make his long-prophesied Miracle on Clay. But if I were a betting man? Hard to put my money on anyone other than El Matador Menor, Carlos Alcaraz.

 

[Sudacafan]

Without Nadal, RG is up for grabs.
RG this year resembles the USO, which Is the oldest one in the slam collection won by the most significant player of all times.

 

[Cabeza del Demonio]

Novak will give him a good fight, maybe Med too.

At this point I'd have to give that 2nd favorite spot to Rune. He's had the best clay season of anyone not named Alcaraz. There's Medvedev too, but it's impossible to expect a guy who openly hates clay to perform consistently on it.

 

[Shaolin]

At this point I'd have to give that 2nd favorite spot to Rune. He's had the best clay season of anyone not named Alcaraz. There's Medvedev too, but it's impossible to expect a guy who openly hates clay to perform consistently on it.

Yes Rune will definitely be a contender. He needs to start winning RG soon if he plans to break Nadal's record like he said

 

[pj80]

I believe it is wide open and I’m looking forward to it, a lot.

Its Alcaraz's to lose...

 

[marc45]

@Hitman even though Alcaraz may be the favorite, I’m not fully sold on him on the slowest of clay surfaces. He historically lost to Korda at MC and now Marozosan at Rome. Roland Garros is a lot slower than Rome and he even lost to Ramos Vinolas last year at Rg. I think he’ll do well, but for some reason I think he’s going to fall short, maybe in the semis or so, but I want to see him prove me wrong

RG will play faster than Rome, it always does....the weather will be better too, making it quicker

 

[Chanwan]

At this point I'd have to give that 2nd favorite spot to Rune. He's had the best clay season of anyone not named Alcaraz. There's Medvedev too, but it's impossible to expect a guy who openly hates clay to perform consistently on it.

Have you not seen Rune falter physically in best of 3 time and time again?

 

[dking68]

Have you not seen Rune falter physically in best of 3 time and time again?

Semifinals max IMO, and even that I’m doubtful

 

[Chanwan]

Semifinals max IMO, and even that I’m doubtful

Semis would be a great result. I don't trust him in the 3rd, 4th or 5th hour atm

 

[thrust]

Lol. So AO without Djokovic is called asterisked, but here without Nadal it is a potential great tournament? No. We all know Djokovic is going to vulture it, probably without dropping more than 1-2 sets.

I hope you are right, but I doubt it.