The More Open, the Better

Daniil Medvedev suffered a tough loss to Tommy Paul on Tuesday in Rome, but the Russian likes the way he is playing on clay and still sees himself with a good chance to make a deep run in Paris this year.

Asked to break down this year’s Roland Garros favorites by a reporter, Medvedev said that Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz should be considered No.1 and No.2, given how well they can play on clay.

“I think if Novak and Carlos play, they’re two big favorites,” he said. “They like the surface. They can win Grand Slams.”

But, Medvedev says, this year’s main draw in Paris could be more wide open than it has been in nearly 20 years. With Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner still working through serious injuries, Djokovic without a final to his name yet in 2024, and Nadal far from his peak, it appears that some other names have a bigger shot than ever to hold the Coupe des Mousquetaires aloft on Sunday June 10.

Medvedev also gave a nod to Stefanos Tsitsipas, who is still alive in the Rome draw as he pursues his second clay-court Masters title of 2024.

“If he wins here, could be big favorite, for sure,” Medvedev said of the 8th-ranked Greek. “If he wins two Masters 1000s, he’s one of the favorites, too.”

Wide open works just fine for Medvedev…

“Now it’s maybe a little bit more open than it was ever before,” Medvedev said. “Good for me, too, because usually in Roland Garros I don’t play that well. The more open it is, the better it is for me.”