French Open 2023: Nadal, Murray and Raducanu missing, while Djokovic, Alcaraz and Swiatek favourites

For the first time in almost 20 years, the French Open will begin this weekend with an added layer of intrigue.

Nadal’s absence for the first time in 19 years will be keenly felt by organisers and fans, but his withdrawal has further opened up the men’s draw and gives a host of players extra encouragement they can win.

And an injury scare for Swiatek, whose position as the WTA world number one has been challenged by Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, also leaves that draw open.

Cameron Norrie, seeded 14th, leads the British charge at a venue where the nation’s players have had limited success this century. Neither Andy Murray nor Emma Raducanu will be appearing at Roland Garros and no British women have qualified for the singles.

The clay-court tournament starts on 28 May, concluding with the finals on 10 and 11 June.

Alcaraz to take Nadal’s crown? Or Djokovic to win record 23rd title?

While nothing in sport is ever certain, Nadal lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires has been as close as anything.

Not this year. Nadal, who has lost only three of his 115 career matches at Roland Garros and is known as the ‘King of Clay’, is out with a long-term hip injury.

Before last week’s announcement that the 36-year-old would not be able to play, Nadal had already slipped behind Spanish world number one Carlos Alcaraz and Serbia’s 22-time major champion Novak Djokovic as the favourite in the eyes of many observers.

Following a dominant start to the season, Alcaraz is heavily tipped to be only the fifth man since 2005 to claim the title.

After missing the Australian Open with an injury, the 20-year-old US Open champion returned to win four of his next six tournaments – Buenos Aires, Indian Wells, Barcelona and Madrid, while also reaching the Rio de Janeiro final and Miami semi-finals.

Back-to-back titles in Barcelona and Madrid helped extend Alcaraz’s record to…