The second Grand Slam of the tennis calendar is just around the corner.
The clay court season has been an entertaining one and it is set to conclude with the French Open, as it always does.
The tournament is moving into a new era as 2025 marks the first edition of the event without record 14-time winner Rafael Nadal.
Fans are eager to see who will be the first champion of the post-Nadal era at Roland Garros, and Tracy Austin and Patrick McEnroe have had their say.
Tracy Austin and Patrick McEnroe say who can win the French Open other than Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz
At present it is hard to look past Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner as the frontrunners for the Grand Slam titles.
The duo have won the last five majors between them and they are the top-two ranked players in the world.
However, there are other players who significantly challenge them and are capable of lifting the French Open title on June 8.
On Tennis Channel, Austin and McEnroe named who they think can provide the biggest challenge to Alcaraz and Sinner and lift the title.
“I don’t think it is going to be Zverev. I think Zverev has been passed over. I think Musetti has been playing extremely well. Casper has been in the finals a couple of times,” Austin said.
“I think Draper, I would pick him first. You know when he played well it was Madrid, when it was at altitude. Tommy Paul, maybe? He could sneak in there.”
McEnroe added: “I love Tommy but I don’t think he plays with enough spin consistently. He is good but he does not play with enough action on the ball.
“The third one – I might actually go with Mensik? Maybe not on clay. I think I am going to throw Zverev a bone. I think Zverev. I think he could still get it together.”
Carlos Alcaraz says what will happen if he faces Jannik Sinner at the French Open
Alcaraz and Sinner faced one another in the 2024 French Open semi-finals, which the Spaniard won in five sets.
Their last meetup came at the Italian Open final, where Alcaraz emerged victorious and lifted the title. Should the pair face one another at this year’s French Open it cannot happen until the final.
When asked to rate his chances if he is to face Sinner again in Paris, Alcaraz said in Rome: “The level he has played in this tournament is insane after three months without playing, without any tournaments.
“I mean, what he has done, it’s amazing. I mean, it’s something that I have to have respect for that. I’m pretty sure he’s going to be better and better.
“This week of practising, he’s going to feel better. If he’s winning in Roland Garros and he’s going farther, I think much better he’s going to feel.
“He’s going to be dangerous. He’s going to be a really dangerous player in Paris. We’re going to be both in both parts of the draw, so let’s see. But I’m pretty sure he’s going to feel much better in Roland Garros.”
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
