Nadal, a 14-time winner at Roland Garros, has been beset by injuries in his final campaign on tour while world No. 1 Djokovic has failed to reach a final in 2024.
Meanwhile, young Grand Slam champions like Carlos Alcaraz, 21, and Jannik Sinner, 22, are also nursing injuries. That has opened the door for the likes of Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud to step up and open their Grand Slam account.
Zverev has not had it easy since he injured his ankle in the 2022 French Open semi-final against Nadal and underwent surgery, but the 27-year-old has peaked at the right time, winning his sixth Masters title at the Italian Open on May 19.
He will, however, have to get past Nadal in the first round and should that happen, the German world No.
This story is from the May 26, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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This story is from the May 26, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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