TOMORROW night Australian time the 2024 French Open kicks off in Paris, with a star-studded draw set to provide plenty of highlights in the men’s singles. We take a look at what the draw could provide, with the contenders and the Aussies to how they are placed.

REIGNING CHAMPION

Novak Djokovic (Serbia)

Reigning champion Novak Djokovic enters the French Open in a great spot to take out the title despite his form this season. Yet to win a title in 2024, the Serbian star entered the ATP 250 Geneva Open to find some form, but bowed out to Tomas Machac in the semi-finals. Now in order to retain his world number one ranking, Djokovic must at least reach the final.

In terms of his draw, he starts off with a local in Pierre-Hugues Herbert who received a wildcard at the French Open, and could face a stack of Frenchman early on. One of Constant Lestienne or Roberto Carballes Baena will be his second round opponent, while a potential third round contest with either Gael Monfils or Italian Lorenzo Musetti coming after that. American Tommy Paul (fourth round) should not pose too many issues for Djokovic, with the last eight potential clash against Casper Ruud being his first big challenge.

CHALLENGERS

Casper Ruud (Norway)

Last year’s runner-up Ruud will meet Djokovic a couple of matches earlier if he makes it through, with the seventh seed also having a fairly straight forward draw. He faces Brazilian qualifier Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves up first, with Argentinian Tomas Etcheverry and American Taylor Fritz also in his eighth.

Alexander Zverev (Germany)

German Alexander Zverev is coming off a title in Rome but undoubtedly has the toughest first round of any seed – or perhaps anyone in the draw – with the greatest claycourter of all-time Rafael Nadal assigned to him. In what could be one of the most one-sided crowds of all time, Zverev will have plenty of obstacles just to get past the first round, but is in good form and strong on clay. If he gets past Nadal he has the likes of David Goffin and Tallon Griekspoor in the following rounds, before a tougher assignment against Holger Rune is likely.

Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)

If Carlos Alcaraz was not under an injury cloud, he would undoubtedly be favourite for the event. He is one who will win plenty French Open titles given his strength on teh surface, and if he is fit and firing, watch out. He faces lucky loser J.J. Wolf in the first round, with a couple of tough matches against Jack Draper and Sebastian Korda to follow. At his best he should made a quarter final, with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev also in his quarter.

Jannik Sinner (Italy)

Like Alcaraz, the world number two enters the Paris even under and injury cloud and will need to shake it off to produce the tennis that saw him dominate earlier this year, including winning the Australian Open. He will be the new number one if Djokovic fails to reach the French Open final, regardless of how far her makes it in. Up first is American Christopher Eubanks, with either Richard Gasquet or Borna Coric in the Round of 64. Sinner has both in-form Chileans, Alejandro Tabilo and Nicolas Jarry in his quarter, with Hubert Hurkacz and Grigor Dimitrov the other big dangers.

THE AUSSIES

Alex de Minaur

Top ranked Australian Alex de Minaur will face American Alex Michelsen up first, and then a Spaniard of either Roberto Bautista Agut or Jaume Munar in the second round. His two biggest threats in the eighth are Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Bublik who both hate clay, with a potential Zverev rematch in the quarter finals.

Others

Christopher O’Connell vs. [Q] Filip Misolic (AUT)
Alexei Popyrin vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis
[WC] Adam Walton vs. Arthur Rinderknech (FRA)
Rinky Hijikata vs. Luciano Darderi (ITA)
Aleksandar Vukic VS. Zhizhen Zhang (CHN)
Max Purcell vs. [Q] Henri Squire (GER)
Jordan Thompson vs. Maximilian Marterer (GER)

It was a mixed bag for the rest of the Aussies, with most playing in winnable matches, though Popyrin drawing Kokkinakis is rough for fans who believe both could do damage. Thompson, Purcell and O’Connell all have great chances off advancing through to the next round, through Walton, Hijikata and Vukic have substantially tougher assignments.