The French Open draw takes place this Thursday (22nd May), but what can we expect to unfold at Roland Garros?
Here, we look at five of the biggest talking points across both the men’s and women’s singles events.
Which half will Zverev land in?
With Jannik Sinner as the No 1 seed and Carlos Alcaraz as the No 2 seed, we know that that it will not be possible for them to meet until the final – if they both get that far.
In terms of the very top seeds in the men’s draw, the biggest talking point is probably what half of the draw No 3 seed Alexander Zverev will land in.
The German has reached four straight semi-finals at Roland Garros and reached the final twelve months ago, leading Alcaraz by two sets to one before the Spaniard roared back.
Zverev is one of a handful of players with winning head-to-head records against both men, and could prove a formidable foe for one of the top two seeds in the last four.
Swiatek’s fate
Swiatek has been one of the top two seeds at every Grand Slam event since the 2022 French Open – but that all changes in 2025.
The Pole has not won a title since Roland Garros twelve months ago and, as a result, now finds herself as the world No 5 – and the fifth seed for the second Grand Slam of 2025.
That means that four-time French Open champion Swiatek will find herself in the same quarter as one of No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, No 2 Coco Gauff, No 3 Jessica Pegula, or No 4 Jasmine Paolini.
Where the three-time champion lands in the draw could have not only significant implications for her, but the leading contenders and entire tournament as a whole.
Djokovic’s placing
Similarly to Swiatek, world No 6 Djokovic finds himself outside the top four seeds heading into the men’s singles draw.
This is not a new situation for the Serbian, who was the seventh seed at the Australian Open back in January, and ultimately defeated third seed Carlos Alcaraz in the last eight.
However, aside from his Miami Open run, Djokovic’s form since Melbourne has not been encouraging, and a quarter-final against one of Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev, or fourth seed Taylor Fritz is a daunting prospect.
Djokovic has a 10-0 record against Fritz, meaning this may be his best hope, but a match against one of the top three could spell trouble.
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Sabalenka’s pathway
For the first time in her career, Sabalenka arguably enters the French Open as the favourite for the title.
With leading rival Swiatek not at her best in 2025, the Belarusian has proven to be the class of the WTA field and has built a substantial lead as the world No 1.
Sabalenka has reached at least the quarter-final in Paris for the past two years and has become the most reliable WTA player at Grand Slams, consistently going deep into the draw.
However, she is yet to reach a Grand Slam singles final on a natural surface, with her five finals split across the Australian and US Open.
All eyes will be on whether Sabalenka’s early path is conducive enough for her to round into form and claim the title.
Dangerous unseeded stars
Most of the sport’s leading stars are among the men’s and women’s singles top seeds, though that is not strictly the case.
Several huge names are unseeded in the women’s event, and all eyes will be on where the likes of Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka, and Belinda Bencic land in the draw.
Perhaps the biggest unseeded name to watch in the men’s event is Joao Fonseca, with the 18-year-old prodigy having qualified automatically for a Slam for the first time.
Fellow young gun Learner Tien and clay specialists such as Rio Open Sebastian Baez will be among the other unseeded stars to keep one eye on in the draw.
Read Next: French Open: 5 unseeded stars to watch out for in women’s singles draw
The post Could Djokovic face Alcaraz or Sinner? How will Swiatek fare? Key French Open draw questions appeared first on Tennis365.
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