In his newest column, our International Tennis Ambassador discusses the gamers to look at in each the boys’s and girls’s singles on the French Open, in addition to the response to Naomi Osaka’s first-round exit.
Cam Norrie’s win over Daniil Medvedev was the match of the French Open thus far. Norrie is such a tricky out, and an awesome participant. His win confirmed what’s so thrilling about this best-of-five format – something can steal the eye away from the highest gamers, and the potential for drama with the longer format not often disappoints.
The one factor that you just don’t ever fear about with Norrie is his health, and he’s of the 30 or 35 guys in any Grand Slam who might speak himself right into a consequence simply because his legs by no means go away. He can play the longer format and he’s seen the massive matches earlier than, so it’s not a stretch for him to make a run.
He’s in Novak Djokovic’s part of the draw, although, and that’s a more durable matchup. The massive query with Novak coming into the event was whether or not he had the legs for it. Plenty of us dummies had been questioning why he would pull out of the Italian Open, however it appeared like he went to Geneva and actually received his legs beneath him.
First rounds have been dicey for Novak this 12 months, however when he will get two or three matches into tournaments, he’s like a diesel engine. Novak in spherical 4 may be very totally different to Novak in spherical one.
It’s an enormous activity for him to win the event contemplating the best way that Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are enjoying, however Novak isn’t terrified of these guys. He thinks his finest tennis can beat them, and he’s one of many solely gamers within the draw that may say that and never be telling tales to themselves.
Novak is ready to flip confidence ranges in a short time. He was enjoying terribly in Monte Carlo and Rome, after which unexpectedly he will get two matches into Geneva and it’s like driving a motorcycle once more. It’s an enormous ask, however guess towards Novak at your personal peril. I did it on Thursday earlier than he was in Geneva and now we actually appear to be dummies. Eventually, we’ll know higher.
Sinner v Alcaraz is must-see TV
There’s little question that Sinner and Alcaraz had been the 2 finest gamers going into this event, and even Novak would in all probability inform you that. They’ve gained the final 5 Grand Slams, in spite of everything.
Now, Novak doesn’t should be higher than them each week. He can definitely tempo himself and discover his high kind, however I feel they’re the 2 clear favourites.
A closing between the 2 of them would clearly get the juices flowing. They’re the subsequent model of must-see TV once they go towards one another. We had been spoiled in the very best manner with the ‘Large 3’ and ‘Large 4’, and Sinner and Alcaraz are the subsequent technology of these match-ups. We’re all the time in a rush to get to that subsequent factor, however there are going to be a whole lot of gamers on this event who don’t care what we would like.
Musetti is changing into one of many world’s finest
I’ve a tonne of respect for Lorenzo Musetti, who I picked to make the semis on my podcast. Final 12 months, it was a shock when he made the semis of Wimbledon. I don’t assume it might be a shock now.
He’s actually develop into the most effective gamers on the planet, and whereas Alcaraz and Sinner are the favourites, Musetti’s good each single week now. He was once type of flashy, a little bit bit extra inconsistent, however now he places up outcomes with quarter-finals and semi-finals each week. He’s actually performed an awesome job of that.
Swiatek ought to be feared within the latter phases
On the ladies’s facet, I feel persons are utterly underestimating Iga Swiatek. She’s getting judged towards her personal shadow proper now, which is immense, however she nonetheless made the semis in Madrid and Australia. It’s not as if she hadn’t performed any good tennis.
I really weirdly assume {that a} robust draw will get her dialled in. She’s by no means misplaced a Grand Slam closing – when she will get to the tail finish of Grand Slams, she’s excellent at closing. I nonetheless assume Sabalenka might be the favorite going into any event she enters proper now, however I wouldn’t look previous Iga.
If she will get to the quarters or semis, she’s going to have a chip on her shoulder. Individuals are forgetting about her actually shortly. If I had gained 4 of the final 5 French Opens, I’d really feel like, “screw you guys”.
Keys and Andreeva are definitely each succesful
Madison Keys goes below the radar barely regardless of being the Australian Open champion, however she’s so constant. I feel she would inform you the floor in Australia was higher for her, however she’s actually good on clay and he or she’s made the semis right here earlier than.
I feel Madison would need it this manner. I do know for a reality she doesn’t have an ego about it. She would moderately you search for and go, “oh, Madison’s within the semis once more, that is harmful!”
She’s definitely succesful, and he or she has that X-factor the place she will take the racket out of your hand along with her forehand and serve. She will play a whole lot of matches on her phrases, and he or she doesn’t want somebody to play badly for her to get a win.
Mirra Andreeva might additionally go all the best way, there’s little question, and he or she beat Sabalenka on the French Open final 12 months. To me it’s when, not if, with Andreeva. She’ll win a Slam in a short time within the subsequent 18 months.
Is it going to be on clay at this one? It’s robust as a result of it’s so match-up primarily based, and he or she’s 0-4 or 0-5 towards Coco Gauff – who she might meet within the semis – and I belief the match-ups typically.
However in the event you needed to look good and simply say Andreeva goes to win going into every of the subsequent 4, 5 or 6 Slams, then you definitely’re going to be good a kind of occasions.
Osaka’s honesty ought to be celebrated
The response to Naomi Osaka is all the time a little bit bit bizarre. In my profession, if I’d have talked about how a lot the losses harm, individuals would have taken that as, “he desires to win so badly.” If it was a special individual saying the very same issues, I feel that we might be reporting it in another way. With Naomi, there’s a lingering narrative.
I feel it exhibits her will to wish to come again to the extent that she was at earlier than. She desires to play within the semis and finals as a result of that’s what she is aware of, so it’s unusual for her, however I take that as a very good factor. You’ve a former No. 1, four-time Slam winner who’s determined to win these matches – I typically assume that’s a very good factor.
Naomi is simply 27. I don’t know that I see her ever being No. 1 on the planet, however can she nonetheless make the tail finish of a Slam? I totally imagine she will. The comeback was a little bit quick final 12 months, and I’m not going to guage her on 2025 by way of the clay court docket season, as a result of that’s her worst floor. We’ll see what occurs, however would it not shock me if she was within the semis of the U.S. Open? Completely not.
The match-up I’m hoping for
Novak towards the highest guys could be phenomenal. We wish to see that on clay. We’ve had variations of Novak and Alcaraz already, so I feel that’s an enormous one, and it appears extra more likely to occur as the times go by.
Novak profitable final week in Geneva modified the dialog utterly. It was nice for him to go and play there, so him towards the individuals which can be making an attempt to take the throne – outdoors of the 1 v 2 seed – might be the one match-up that I’m hoping for.
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