Spectators watch an exhibition match between Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Russia's Karen Khachanov on the Court Suzanne-Lenglen ahead of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament in Paris on May 27, 2023. Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP
Paris: The French Open gets underway at Roland Garros today without injured 14-time champion Rafael Nadal who is absent for the first time since 2004. Iga Swiatek, meanwhile, aims to become the first champion to successfully defend the women’s title since Justine Henin in 2007. Here is a look at the top seeds’ rivals looking to create first round shocks:
Flavio Cobolli vs Carlos Alcaraz
Ranked at 159 in the world, 21-year-old Italian Flavio Cobolli has the unenviable task of taking on world number one and US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz after coming through qualifying at Roland Garros. Cobolli, who made the quarter-finals on clay in the ATP event at Munich in April, is playing in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time. Has already been a champion at Roland Garros - in 2020, he teamed with Switzerland’s Dominic Stricker to win the boys’ doubles.
Thiago Seyboth Wild vs Daniil Medvedev
A former US Open junior champion, Brazil’s Thiago Seyboth Wild is ranked 172 and had to play the qualifiers in Paris. Back in 2020, when he was still 19, he lifted his maiden ATP title in Santiago by beating Casper Ruud in the final, becoming the tour’s first champion born in the 2000s.
Aleksandar Kovacevic vs Novak Djokovic
World number 114 Aleksandar Kovacevic takes on 22-Grand Slam title winner and two-time French Open champion Novak Djokovic -- a player he describes as his idol -- in the first round. If that wasn’t a big enough challenge, the 24-year-old New Yorker will be making his main draw debut at the majors having tried and failed to qualify on three previous occasions at the Slams. Blessed with a Masters degree in finance, his modest career prize money of $316,500 is small change compared to Djokovic’s $167m.
Cristina Bucsa vs Iga Swiatek
Cristina Bucsa, a 25-year-old Spaniard, has the unenviable task of facing defending champion and world number one Iga Swiatek in the opening round.Ranked at 67, the Moldova-born player knows what she’s facing after Swiatek thumped her 6-0, 6-1 at the Australian Open in January.
Marta Kostyuk vs Aryna Sabalenka
Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk will face world number two and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus today in a highly-charged encounter. Kostyuk, ranked at 39, is a vociferous opponent of Russians and Belarusians in the sport in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine.
