FULL DRAW 🖨

Top Half:

Bottom Half:

Full Printable Draw PDF 🖨 (Singles)

DRAW TL;DR

Top Half - QF’s If Seeds Hold

🇷🇸 Djokovic vs A.Zverev 🇩🇪

🇦🇹 Thiem vs Del Potro 🇦🇷

Bottom Half - QF’s If Seeds Hold

🇨🇭 Federer vs Tsitsipas 🇬🇷

🇪🇸 Nadal vs Nishikori 🇯🇵

PROJECTED PATHS FOR TOP 4

Djokovic (1) (Top Half)

R1: Hurkacz

R2: Querrey/Martinez

R3: Munar/Simon/Qualifier

R4: Coric/Struff/Shapovalov

QF: Fognini/A.Zverev

SF: Thiem/DelPotro/Verdasco

F: Nadal/Federer/Tsitsipas

Summary: Nasty Rd 1 in the form of Hurkacz. I’m not convinced the Pole will match up particularly well vs Novak, especially on clay, but it should still provide a sterner test than most of the other top seeds face. Djokovic should cruise through Rd’s 2 & 3, before running into (most likely) Coric or Struff, neither of which should be *that* concerning for Djokovic unless they catch fire. It’s then far from certain that Novak’s prospective QF opponents (Fognini/A.Zverev) will make it that far, with Fognini prone to loose performances in slams, and Zverev struggling for form (and may be fatigued with a deep run in Geneva this week). We could quite feasibly have a surprise QF opponent for Djokovic (Fritz/Lajovic?!). The world No.1 drew the short straw however in getting Thiem in his half (how many years in a row is that?), setting up a blockbuster potential semi-final if they both make it that far (although Thiem has his nemesis Verdasco as a possible Rd 4 opponent…).

TL;DR: Some tough potential matches on paper, but the path could easily open up. Novak the favourite over Thiem (the biggest threat in his half), so anything other than getting to the final would be a bit of a surprise.

Prediction: Final/Title

Thiem (4) (Top Half)

R1: Paul

R2: Bublik/Molleker

R3: Edmund/Cuevas/Chardy

R4: Verdasco/Monfils

QF: DelPotro/Auger-Aliassume/Khachanov

SF: Djokovic/Fognini/A.Zverev

F: Nadal/Federer/Tsitsipas

Summary: Kind opening couple of rounds for Thiem, but Cuevas could be an interesting Rd 3 opponent. Verdasco looms very large (enjoys a 4-0 H2H vs Thiem) in Rd 4, but the Spaniard will need to go through Monfils first to get there. Thiem may drop a set or two, but would still be surprising to see him fail to make at least the QF’s, where he could meet one of Delpo/FAA/Khachanov. Delpo (in the form he showed in Rome) would be by far the toughest out of that lot, but it remains to be seen if he’s match fit enough for Bof5 after his injury layoff. Thiem gets Djokovic for his semi-final opponent, which is probably marginally better for the Austrian than Nadal. But, if both Novak and Thiem make it that far, it’s tough to call Thiem the favourite if the Djokovic of Madrid or Australia turns up.

Prediction: Semi-Finals

Federer (3) (Bottom Half)

R1: Sonego

R2: Jaziri/Otte

R3: Berrettini/Ruud/Gulbis

R4: Schwartzman/Cecchinato/Kohlschreiber

QF: Tsitsipas/Wawrinka/Cilic

SF: Nadal/Nishikori/Medvedev

F: Djokovic/Thiem

Summary: Not the easiest 1st round given Sonego’s ‘form’ (made QF’s in Monte Carlo), but Federer should still cruise through that & Rd 2. Rd 3 looks like Berrettini or Ruud, neither of which can blow Federer off the court, but have both been playing some good tennis on clay this season. If Schwartzman makes it to Rd 4 and finds some of his tennis from last years RG, or last week in Rome, he could be a legitimate threat (always raises his game significantly vs the big guys). Not to mention that the Argentine has played well on Chatrier before (last year vs Nadal), which can be an underrated factor when determining how dangerous a challenger can be. If Fed makes it through that potential test, he’ll likely have to face Tsitsipas, which would be an intriguing matchup on this surface. I’d call Tsitsipas a slight favourite in current form. Overall, Federer has a bunch of competent clay courters in his way. Not ideal.

Prediction: QF

Nadal (2) (Bottom Half)

R1: Hanfmann

R2: Maden/Coppejans

R3: Goffin/Kecmanovic

R4: Pella/Basilashvili/Londero

QF: Nishikori/Medvedev/Djere

SF: Federer/Tsitsipas/Wawrinka/Schwartzman

F: Djokovic/Thiem

Summary: Tough to say whether his first two rounds will be easy or hard until the Q’s are added, but on paper looks like an excellent start for Rafa. Goffin is still struggling for form, so tough to see Nadal' stumbling in Rd3. Pella could be somewhat interesting in Rd 4, but the Argentine has struggled since making back to back QF’s in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. Rafa drew the long straw and avoided Thiem in his half, meaning his potential late-round path looks like Nishikori (should have little/no problem) or Medvedev (should have little/no problem), into Federer or Tsitsipas. Tough to know what a Federer vs Nadal match would look like on clay these days, but I’m not sure it would go particularly well for Fed. Overall, tough to see anyone beating Nadal (if he turns up in similar form to Rome) apart from Thiem/Djokovic having one of their best days.

Prediction: Final/Title

EARLY MATCHES TO WATCH OUT FOR 🔥

🔥 - Potentially Good

🔥🔥 - Potentially Great

🍿 - GRAB THE POPCORN

—

Rd 1’s:

Djokovic vs Hurkacz 🔥

Shapovalov vs Struff 🔥

Fognini vs Seppi 🔥🔥

Kyrgios vs Norrie

A.Zverev vs Millman

Edmund vs Chardy

Verdasco vs Evans 🔥

Del Potro vs Jarry 🔥🔥

Tiafoe vs Krajinovic

Opelka vs Garin 🔥

Dimitrov vs Tipsarevic 🔥

Kohlschreiber vs Haase 🔥

Ruud vs Gulbis 🔥🔥

Federer vs Sonego 🔥

Popyrin vs Humbert 🔥

Basilashvili vs Londero 🔥

—

Rd 2's (possible):

Munar vs Simon

Fognini vs Delbonis🔥

Bautista Agut vs Fritz🔥🔥

Kyrgios vs Lajovic🔥

Pouille vs Klizan🔥

Tsitsipas vs Dellien🔥

Wawrinka vs Garin/Opelka (🔥 for Wawa vs Garin)

Cilic vs Dimitrov/Tipsarevic 🔥

Cecchinato vs Kohlschreiber 🔥

Nishikori vs Tsonga 🔥🔥

Djere vs Popyrin/Humbert

Medvedev vs Paire 🍿

—

Rd 3’s (possible):

Djokovic vs Munar🔥

Shapovalov/Struff vs Coric 🔥

Fognini vs Bautista Agut or Fritz 🔥

A.Zverev vs Kyrgios🍿

Thiem vs Edmund/Cuevas

Verdasco vs Monfils 🍿

Auger-Aliassime vs Del Potro 🔥🔥

Tsitsipas vs Tiafoe🔥

Wawrinka vs Cilic 🔥

Cecchinato/Kohlschreiber vs Schwartzman 🔥

Nishikori vs Djere

Basilashvili vs Pella 🔥

PLAYERS REACT TO THEIR DRAW

— Tsitsipas getting ready to identify some ball marks.

— Kyrgios when he loses first round to Norrie and can fly straight to the grass.

— Fans turning up to Day 1 and seeing Karlovic vs Lopez on the scoreboard.

PREDICTIONS

Quarter-Finals

🇷🇸 Djokovic vs Fognini 🇮🇹

Winner: Djokovic

🇦🇹 Thiem vs Del Potro 🇦🇷

Winner: Thiem

(The Delpo pick is probably bad, but it’s tough to see anyone else coming through that section. Maybe Khachanov…)

🇨🇭 Federer vs Tsitsipas 🇬🇷

Winner: Tsitsipas

🇪🇸 Nadal vs Medvedev 🇷🇺

Winner: Nadal

Semi-Finals

🇷🇸 Djokovic vs Thiem 🇦🇹

Winner: Djokovic

🇪🇸 Nadal vs Tsitsipas 🇬🇷

Winner: Nadal

Final

🇷🇸 Djokovic vs Nadal 🇪🇸

Winner: Nadal

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— The Racquet is created, and written, by Matt.

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See you on Monday for the start of Roland Garros!