​Hot on clay: on the French Open

The French Open 2025, which got underway on Sunday, at once seems empty and so full of promise. It is the first edition without the now-retired 14-time champion Rafael Nadal, who had established such a stranglehold in Paris that Roland-Garros, during a soul-stirring ceremony on the opening evening, immortalised his footprint — quite literally — on Court Philippe-Chatrier. But in his absence, the field is now open for a new player to stake claim. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is the leading candidate and is closely followed by World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Spaniard Alcaraz has warmed up well, with Masters titles in Monte Carlo and Rome, and the Italian Open triumph, which came with a straight-sets victory over Sinner in the final, seen as the sounding of the bugle. But Sinner, despite the defeat, will not be disheartened. Rome was his first tournament after serving a three-month doping-related suspension, and a five-match winning run, including a 6-0, 6-1 demolition of two-time French Open finalist and World No. 8 Casper Ruud, proved that elite tennis was still part of his muscle memory. Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Major winner, is without a Slam since US Open 2023, his worst run since 2016-18, but by winning in Geneva last week — his 100th Tour-level title — he is, at least, back in the conversation. Alexander Zverev, a semifinalist or better for four successive years in Paris, will want to shrug off his patchy recent form and show that he belongs among the world’s best.

The women’s field is airier than the men’s, for three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek is far from being in tournament-winning form and a handful of stars are jostling to fill the space. The Polish player, hands down the best clay-court practitioner among women of the present era, has not even reached the final of a tune-up event and has an incredibly difficult draw to grapple with. Her principal rival and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka looks primed to take advantage even as those like No. 2 Coco Gauff, No. 4 Jasmine Paolini – finalist in 2024 – and No. 7 Qinwen Zheng are snapping at her heels. Three-time Major winner Sabalenka is playing the best tennis of her career, and made the final in Stuttgart on indoor clay before bagging the Madrid trophy recently. Gauff, despite looking undercooked, reached back-to-back finals in Madrid and Rome while Paolini secured the Italian Open. Though without a title in the lead-up, Zheng will have happy memories of Paris, a place where she won the 2024 Olympic singles gold medal. An outside bet would be the all-action Jelena Ostapenko, the Roland-Garros titlist in 2017 who also triumphed in Stuttgart recently. A victory for her will be in line with the women’s Tour’s propensity to throw up an eclectic array of champions.