By way of Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, Might 25, 2023
King of clay Rafa Nadal famously mentioned struggling is a prerequisite for Roland Garros luck.
In Nadal’s absence from Paris, Novak Djokovic is taking a look at a difficult highway to historical past.
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Launching his quest for a males’s file twenty third Grand Slam championship in Paris, Djokovic faces a doubtlessly painful trail to a 7th Paris ultimate.
The 2023 Roland Garros draw used to be carried out in Paris these days and pits Global No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and Djokovic in the similar most sensible part of a loaded draw.
That suggests if seeds grasp true to shape, Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Djokovic must face US Open champion Alcaraz within the semifinals.
The highest part of the sector comprises the one two former French Open males’s champions within the box—Djokovic and 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka—in addition to 2021 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas, reigning Monte-Carlo champion Andrey Rublev, Lorenzo Musetti, who owns a clay-court win over Djokovic this season, Cameron Norrie, who owns a clay-court finals win over Alcaraz, Karen Khachanov and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The @RolandGarros Males’s Best Part Draw: percent.twitter.com/Xo8GUs7TNw
— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) Might 25, 2023
The @RolandGarros Males’s Backside Part Draw: percent.twitter.com/yERucmBO8j
— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) Might 25, 2023
It used to be a bittersweet draw day as organizers, media and enthusiasts confronted a draw with out 14-time champion Nadal, who has performed Paris yearly since his 2005 debut when he defeated Argentinean left-hander Mariano Puerta to seize his maiden main.
“[Nadal’s withdrawal] used to be greeted with unhappiness. I believed so much about him within the first position, we all know that his tale is in detail connected to this event,” event director Amelie Mauresmo instructed the media in Paris after the draw. “It used to be unhappy, however these days it’s [the draw] so we will have to additionally say that it’s going to open alternatives to different avid gamers.
“In my view I believe that Carlos Alcaraz arrives very ready. Novak Djokovic, despite the fact that he hasn’t gained many suits in recent times, continues to be bad, particularly in Grand Slams.”
Global No. 2 Daniil Medvedev anchors the ground part of the draw.
Recent off his run to his first profession clay-court crown in Rome, Medvedev must be happy together with his draw.
The 2021 US Open champion opens with a qualifier together with his first attainable seeded opponent No. 27-seeded Yoshihito Nishioka.
Rome runner-up Holger Rune, who has reached 3 finals in 4 clay-court tournaments this season, 2022 Roland Garros finalist Casper Ruud, No. 8-seeded Jannik Sinner, Olympic gold-medal champion Alexander Zverev, Cincinnati champion Borna Coric, No. 9-seeded Taylor Fritz and Francisco Cerundolo are some of the threats within the backside part of the draw.
Picture credit score: Getty
