Roland Garros draws: Alcaraz, Sinner set for clash, fierce battles on women s side

The prestigious French Open, set to ignite the red clay courts of Roland-Garros this Sunday, has revealed its highly anticipated draws, promising thrilling encounters from the outset. With the tournament concluding on June 8, all eyes are on the top contenders as they navigate their paths to glory.

In the men's singles, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, brimming with confidence from an excellent clay-court season that saw him clinch titles in Barcelona and Rome, will commence his title defense against veteran Kei Nishikori. Alcaraz holds an impressive 15-1 record on clay this season and, as the world No. 2, is positioned on the opposite side of the draw from top-ranked Jannik Sinner, meaning a potential blockbuster final clash is on the cards. Sinner, returning to Grand Slam action, will open his campaign against French hopeful Arthur Rinderknech.

While Sinner has only one career clay title (Umag 2022, where he beat Alcaraz), his recent straight-sets loss to Alcaraz in the Rome final underscores his current form. These two young titans have collectively won the last five Grand Slam titles, intensifying expectations for their potential showdown in Paris.

Meanwhile, three-time French Open champion Novak Djokovic, who finally secured a clay-court win this year at the Geneva Open yesterday, faces Mackenzie McDonald of the United States in his first round. Potential quarterfinal matchups include Alexander Zverev against Djokovic, Taylor Fritz versus Lorenzo Musetti, and Alcaraz potentially meeting Casper Ruud.

The women's draw is equally compelling. Four-time champion Iga Swiatek, seeded No. 5 after a season with more "ups and downs," will begin against Rebecca Sramkova. Swiatek, who hasn't reached a final since her Roland-Garros victory last year, could face 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu in the second round.

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka kicks off her tournament against Kamilla Rakhimova, while second seed Coco Gauff takes on Olivia Gadecki. An intriguing first-round clash will see No. 10 Paula Badosa take on four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. Projected women's quarterfinals feature Sabalenka versus Qinwen Zheng, last year's runner-up Jasmine Paolini against Swiatek, Jessica Pegula versus Mirra Andreeva, and Gauff against Madison Keys.

As the action commences Sunday, the paths to the coveted titles are set, promising captivating battles on the clay courts of Paris.