Post-Nadal era begins at French Open

French Open 2025

Location: Roland Garros, May 25 – June

The French Open this year will start off somewhat strange.

Rafael Nadal, the man who won 14 singles titles and is a fixture of the tournament, has retired as Roland Garros for the first time.

There is a chance for someone to continue to strive to be the new “King of Clay” thanks to his abdication.

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, who has long been the heir apparent, is the slight favorite to win this year’s competition.

The 22-year-old defending champion has a 15-1 win-loss record this year, and more match practice than Jannik Sinner, who is a natural clay-courter.

The other strong candidate is Sinner from Italy.

The world number one has dominated in the last 18 months, but he only recently came back from a three-month doping ban.

Sinner only lost one set to reach the Italian Open final, including Casper Ruud, who had previously lost in the French Open twice, in a brutal quarterfinal.

It is challenging to ignore the other leading seeds if Alcaraz and Sinner are not competing in a battle royale.

Novak Djokovic, who turned 38 on Thursday, has been battling it out for a 25th Grand Slam singles title, but he has recently seemed unmotivated.

However, a successful return to the Geneva final might be all the motivation needed for the three-time Paris champion.

Ruud, the seventh-seeded Norwegian, reaffirmed his clay-court prowess by defeating Draper to claim the Madrid title. Ruud lost to Nadal and Djokovic in the 2022 and 2023 finals.

And don’t forget Alexander Zverev, the third-seeded German, and Alexander Zverev, who finished last year.

Zverev is regaining confidence after finishing just short of his first Grand Slam title in January, and has reached at least the semi-finals four of his previous four appearances in Paris.

The main draw includes Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley, who are also included in Draper.

Fearnley, 23, will make his French Open debut after a stunning year of growth for the former Texas Christian University student.

He won his first ATP Tour clay match in April, placing him 54th overall in the world after only a year as a professional, and has since won eight of his 13 matches.

Norrie, the former world no. 8, has since dropped down the rankings, but he made it to the Geneva Open semi-finals just before Roland Garros.

After winning Wimbledon and the Australian Open, Britain’s Henry Patten and Finn partner Harri Heliovaara are aiming for their third Grand Slam title together in 12 months.

Additionally in the draw are American Rajeev Ram and two all-British partners, Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, and Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski.