But his shadow has already planned this Friday in the draw for the edition that begins on Sunday and will close on June 11 with the men’s final.
“A year marked by emotion”, said the president of the French Tennis Federation Gilles Moretton to summarize what it means to start the tournament without Rafa, present in all editions since his triumphant debut in 2005.
With Alcaraz and Djokovic competing in the same part of the draw, the great beneficiary of the draw is the Russian Daniil Medvedev, who on Monday rose to second place in the world after winning the Master 1000 in Rome, his first victory on clay, a surface that he has always criticized and seems to be beginning to like it.
Medvedev, who makes his debut against a tennis player who surpasses the classification, would play an eventual semifinal with the Norwegian Casper Ruud (4th), outgoing finalist. On his possible path, the Croatian Borna Coric (16th) and the Italian Jannik Sinner (8th).
Alcaraz, who hours before had trained for the first time on the Philippe Chatrier court with Stan Wawrinka in front of a large and enthusiastic audience, will make his debut against a tennis player from the rankings.
Hypothetically, he would play in the third round against the Canadian Denis Shapovalov (31), in the round of 16 against Cameron Norrie (14th) or the Italian Lorenzo Musetti (18th) and in the quarterfinals against the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (5th).
Djokovic, who arrives at Roland Garros after completing a disappointing clay-court tour marked by his right elbow problems, would face Spanish Alejandro Davidovich (34th) in the third round, Hubert Hurkacz (13th) or Roberto Bautista (23rd) in the round of 16. ) and in the quarterfinals to the Russian Andrey Rublev (7th).
The Serbian will open fire against the American Aleksandar Kovacevic (114th).
“Youth pushes a lot, we have been saying it for a long time, perhaps it is the year, it is the moment in which they will really take over at Roland Garros,” said the tournament director, the former player Amelie Mauresmo, who also did not rule out that Djokovic get his 23rd Grand Slam and break the tie with Nadal.
“Although she hasn’t won many matches lately, she won in Australia again, in Grand Slam she says she is present, we know very well that these tournaments are her goal, what interests her, on which she concentrates her efforts,” warned the Frenchwoman.