Novak Djokovic and world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz are projected to MEET in the French Open semi-final next month after they were picked in the same half of the draw
- Djokovic is seeded third and has been drawn against Aleksandar Kovacevic
- Carlos Alcaraz is in a seemingly smooth side of the draw and faces a qualifier
- British No 1 Cameron Norrie will take on France’s Benoit Paire on Sunday
Novak Djokovic and world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz are on a collision course and projected to meet in the French Open semi-final after the pair were picked in the same half of the draw.
Djokovic is seeded third at Roland Garros as he goes for a record 23rd men’s major singles title in a tournament without 14-time winner Rafael Nadal for the first time since 2004.
The Serbian has been drawn against American Aleksandar Kovacevic, world no 114, in the first round. Alcaraz, who won the US Open last year, is projected to be Djokovic’s last-four opponent in a seemingly smooth side of the draw. The Spaniard will face a qualifier.
Cameron Norrie, who advanced to the Lyon Open semi-final on Thursday with a win over sixth seed Sebastian Baez, is one of just three British players in the singles draw. The British No 1 will play France’s Benoit Paire.
Former world No 1 Andy Murray withdrew last week to focus on the upcoming grass-court season, while Emma Raducanu is not playing after operations on both wrists and ankle.
Novak Djokovic (L) and Carlos Alcaraz (R) are projected to meet in the French Open semi-final
Cameron Norrie is one of three British singles players at the France Open and will face Benoit Paire
Andy Murray (pictured) withdrew last week to focus on the upcoming grass-court season
British No 2 Dan Evans plays Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis, while young Jack Draper will make his main-draw debut at Roland Garros against Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina.
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev is seeded second after winning last week’s Italian Open and starts his campaign against a qualifier.
There is no British interest in the women’s singles draw after six losses in qualifying, making this the first time the nation has not been represented in a main draw of a Slam since the 2009 US Open.
Last year’s winner and top seed Iga Swiatek will open her title defence against No 67 Cristian Bucsa, while Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open in January, starts her bid for back-to-back majors against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk.
Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina is fourth seed after her Italian Open win and has been put in the same side of the draw as Swiatek. Third seed Jessica Pegula will face fellow American Danielle Collins in a tough first-round draw.
