Djokovic starts French Open campaign against local hope Herbert

Paris — Novak Djokovic will begin his quest for a 25th Grand Slam crown against local hope Pierre-Hugues Herbert, while top-ranked Iga Swiatek kicks off her French Open title defence against a qualifier, after the draw on Thursday.

Djokovic, who is competing in this week’s Geneva Open, will be looking to put that disappointment behind him and get his season back on track in Paris, where he could meet Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals in a rematch of last year’s final.

Unseeded record 14-times winner Rafa Nadal faces a tough test against Alexander Zverev in the first round after plummeting down the rankings during an extended spell on the sidelines.

Two-times Grand Slam champion and last year’s losing semifinalist Carlos Alcaraz begins against a qualifier, while newly crowned Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner faces American Christopher Eubanks.

In the women’s draw, defending champion Swiatek could face a number of tough opponents in her quarterfinal, including four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, Miami Open winner Danielle Collins and Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.

World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka meets Erika Andreeva while Elena Rybakina, who reached the semifinals in Madrid but was forced to pull out of Rome due to illness, takes on Belgium’s Greet Minnen.

US Open champion Coco Gauff, who reached the final of the French Open in 2022, will play a qualifier in the first round and could face Ons Jabeur in a mouth-watering quarterfinal clash.

Reuters