Will Sinner Overcome Tough Draw in Djokovic-Zverev Half, as Swiatek Faces Rebecca Challenge at French Open?

Paris, May 22 (NationPress) Jannik Sinner is set to make his highly awaited return to the Grand Slam scene after his doping suspension, but the journey ahead looks challenging. The Italian World No. 1, who recently made his comeback at the Italian Open finishing as a runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz, faces a tough draw at the French Open as revealed on Thursday.

Sinner finds himself in the same half of the men's singles bracket as defending champion and 24-time Grand Slam victor Novak Djokovic, last year’s Roland Garros finalist Alexander Zverev, and several formidable local contenders.

In his opening round, Sinner is set to compete against France’s Arthur Rinderknech, a challenging opponent who enjoys the support of the Parisian audience. The path ahead could become even more daunting with a potential quarterfinal against the UK’s rising star Jack Draper and an anticipated semifinal clash with Djokovic.

Djokovic, who begins his campaign against American Mackenzie McDonald, may have to face Zverev in the quarterfinals, a rematch of their thrilling encounters from recent seasons.

Additionally, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is also faced with a tough first match against Japan’s Kei Nishikori. While Alcaraz has solidified his status as one of the sport’s most dynamic young talents, Nishikori's experience and diverse skill set on clay could lead to an exciting match under the Parisian skies.

On the women's side, World No. 1 Iga Swiatek kicks off her title defense against Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova. Despite some recent struggles in form, the Polish star remains a powerful contender on clay.

Swiatek’s path to the quarterfinals may see her revisiting a match against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, last year’s finalist, with a potential semifinal matchup against her closest rival, Aryna Sabalenka.

Sabalenka, the Belarusian powerhouse and current World No. 2, will commence her journey against Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova. The anticipated clash between the top two seeds is a major highlight in the women’s draw.

In other matchups, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka faces Spain’s 10th seed Paula Badosa in what is expected to be one of the most thrilling first-round women's matches. Meanwhile, second seed Coco Gauff, who opens against Australia’s Olivia Gadecki, is a key player in the bottom half of the draw and could be on track for an all-American semifinal against third seed Jessica Pegula. Prior to that, Gauff may need to contend with the formidable Madison Keys in the quarterfinals.