Plenty of Unknowns - Roland Garros 2025 Preview

There are many uncertainties heading into this years French Open and Ollie’s Takes is of course here to help you unpack the men’s and women’s draw.

Carlos Alcaraz holds the men’s trophy after defeating Alex Zverev in the 2024 final (Credit: Roland Garros)

The 2025 French Open is the first without the King of Clay which feels a bit strange with the absence signalling the end of the Nadal era in Paris. Of course, when era’s end, a new one begins. One that might be known as: The Sinner and Alcaraz era.

Sinner and Alcaraz head into tournament as resounding favourites and it seems the only people that could stop them is each other.

The women’s draw is a bit more wide open this year. Swiatek and Sabalenka remain the players to beat in my view but neither player heads into the tournament without their issues. Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva and Jasmine Paolini will also be ones to watch in Paris.

The wide open Women’s Draw

The Queen of Clay?

Iga Swiatek holds aloft her third straight French Open trophy last year (Credit: Roland Garros)

Iga is looking to win her fourth French Open in a row but enters the tournament in ordinary form having slipped to 5 in the world after a relatively poor 12 months. Most people would love to be world number 5 but for someone who was genuinely unbeatable over the last few years, this is a bit of a slide. Swiatek has lost 9 matches already in 2025 which is the same as the entire season of 2022.

Uncharacteristically, Swiatek’s best result in the clay season so far is semi finals of Madrid. Combined with second round losses in Stuttgart and the Italian Open to lower ranked opponents, I’m not picking Iga for the title this year

World number 1

Aryna Sabalenka feels “stronger than ever” heading into this year’s clay court grand slam (Credit: Roland Garros)

Sabalenka is looking to win her first French Open with the Parisian clay courts not typically her favourite hunting grounds in recent times.

Sabalenka has won two titles since the Australian Open and is well placed to make a push for the title this year but not my pick.

Teen Sensation: Mirra Andreeva

18 year old Andreeva has a proven ability to take down the big players having beaten Swiatek and Sabalenka at Indian Wells earlier this year,

Consistency still proves to be Andreeva’s issue and whilst she has the potential to go deep into the French Open, this is certainly no guarantee. The only certainty is that the Russian is one to watch this year and for many years to come.

Coco Time

Coco Gauff begins her attempt at a second grand slam against young Aussie Olivia Galecki (Credit: Sports Illustrated)

Ollie’s Takes is predicting Coco Gauff to take home the 2025 French Open title having had a strong start to the clay court season and a proven ability to go deep at Roland Garros.

Gauff has made back to back finals in Rome and Madrid but failed to lift the trophy at either. The French is her time. Coco also avoids her bogey player this season in Jasmine Paolini by being on opposite sides of the draw - Paolini has beaten her twice in the last month.

Coco knows the Parisian courts well having made at least the Quarter Finals over the last four years.

The Men’s Draw with Sinner, Alcaraz and the rest

The New King of Clay?

Can Alcaraz replace Rafa as the King of Clay? (Credit: Roland Garros)

Carlos Alcaraz is attempting to defend his French Open title, similar to what he did at Wimbledon last year.

Alcaraz has long been touted as the next king of Clay due to his similarities to Rafa including a matador like mentality, desire to absolutely mince every ball and of course being from Spain.

The 22 year old broke through for his first French Open title last year and enters the tournament as the favourite having overcome Sinner in the Italian Open just last week. Seems like all the stars are aligning for Alcaraz.

Cheat or Meat?

Sinner returned to competition in Rome where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the final (Credit: Tennis Italia)

You’re likely confused as to what I mean by meat… me too but it rhymes with cheat so I am running with it. Maybe Sinner is Alcaraz’s meat…? I don’t know at this point.

Anyway, Jannik Sinner returned at the Italian Open from his three month “ban” for some dodgy massage cream like he never left. Despite Alcaraz eventually beating him in the final, it could be the perfect warm up for Sinner having been able to play a lead up tournament and feel out Carlos ahead of the French Open.

Sinner has literally lost two matches since August last year (both to Alcaraz) so there’s no doubt in my mind that the world number 1 is going to go deep into the tournament this year.

The Rest

Djokovic won his record breaking 100th tour level title at the Geneva Open this week (Credit: ATP)

In my mind the rest of the players in the draw are secondary to Alcaraz and Sinner. There are others who will prove worthy obstacles but I don’t see them capable of stopping the Italian and Spanish force.

Djokovic has hardly won a match since the Aus Open earlier this year and despite winning a ridiculous 100th tournament in Geneva yesterday, I don’t think he will cause too many headaches in Paris, however given he is arguably the greatest ever, maybe I am foolish for writing him off.

Fritz and Zverev are spineless deep in tournaments so they’re a non-issue for Alcaraz / Sinner.

Caspar Ruud is also someone who has had success in Paris having made the final three times. However, Ruud got absolutely chopped by Sinner in Rome last week so as a result, I don’t trust him.

Lorenzo Musetti has shown his clay court prowess this year having made the final in Monte Carlo along with Semi Final appearances in Rome and Madrid. Musetti is on a collision course with Alcaraz for a tantalising Semi Final assuming he can overcome Fritz and Rune in his quarter.

Musetti is the in form Italian with a game capable of ruffling a few feathers (Credit: ATP)

The other one to watch is Jack Draper who broke through to win his first Masters 1000 at Indian Wells, beating Alcaraz in the process. Draper also proved his ability to match it with the best on clay by making the final in Madrid. I still think the big stage and 5 sets will be too much for the young Brit but a Smokey for sure.

Sinner and Alcaraz are nearly impossible to split in my opinion but due to consistency in performance, I am picking Sinner for the 2025 title.

Aussies to watch

De Minaur will have to do it the hard way if he is to match his 2024 Quarter Final performance (Credit: Channel 9)

9th seed Alex De Minaur leads the charge of 15 Australians in Paris. The demon is looking to back up his breakthrough quarter finals appearance at Roland Garros last year. If he is to replicate or better his 2024 result, he will have to do it the hard way with a difficult opening week including a collision course with up and coming Czech Jakob Mensik and likely Jack Draper in the round of 16.

Other Aussies to watch on the men’s side include 25th seed Alexei Popyrin, Chris O’Connell, Aleksander Vukic and Ollie’s Takes friend Tristan Schoolkate, who is making his French Open main draw debut.

On the women’s side, the great Australian hope is the recently converted Australian, Daria Kasatkina who is the 17th seed. Kasatkina will play her first grand slam representing Australia after she switched allegiance from Russia.

New Australian Kasatkina described herself as “free and happy” ahead of this year’s French Open (Credit: French Open)

Rising 19 year old Maya Joint won her first WTA tournament in Morocco and has drawn fellow Australian Allan Tomljanovic in the first round. Whilst two Aussies meeting in round one, doesn’t appear to be great, at least it guarantees one Aussie in the second round.

Enjoy the French with coverage on Stan Sport and 9Now in Australia.

OT